Today and tomorrow, Italian citizens are called to vote on five national referendums. Each question asks voters whether to repeal specific laws—four concerning labor rights and one on citizenship. While the topics may seem technical, the implications are broad, touching on workers’ protections, immigrants’ access to citizenship, and the political legacy of past governments.
What Are the Referendums About?
These are abrogative referendums, meaning they aim to abolish parts of existing laws. Here’s a breakdown of each referendum, including arguments for and against.
1. Reinstatement for Unfair Dismissals (Article 18 Reform)
This referendum proposes to restore the possibility of reinstatement for workers unjustly fired in companies with more than 15 employees—something limited by the Jobs Act of 2015.
Yes (Repeal the law): Supporters argue that the current system favors employers and weakens job security. They want stronger protections for unjustly dismissed workers.
No (Keep the law): Opponents say reinstatement rules discourage hiring and add legal uncertainty for businesses.
2. Compensation Limits for Small Companies
The current law limits the amount of severance compensation that a court can award to employees fired unfairly by small businesses.
Yes: Proponents argue this cap is unfair and leaves workers in smaller firms with weaker protections than others.
No: Critics believe lifting the cap would put small businesses under financial pressure and increase litigation.
3. Short-Term Contracts Without Cause
This question challenges the law that allows repeated fixed-term contracts without the employer providing a justification.
Yes: Backers of repeal want to prevent precarious work and encourage more stable contracts, especially for young people.
No: Critics argue that flexibility in hiring is essential, especially in sectors like tourism and services.
4. Employer Liability for Workplace Accidents
Currently, general contractors can avoid liability if an accident occurs under a subcontractor, as long as insurance is in place.
Yes: Those in favor of repeal say this weakens safety standards and discourages responsibility from main contractors.
No: Opponents argue that shared liability would create excessive bureaucracy and penalize companies acting in good faith.
5. Citizenship for Long-Term Residents
This referendum proposes to reduce from 10 to 5 years the residency requirement for non-EU adults applying for Italian citizenship.
Yes: Advocates see this as a necessary step to align Italy with other European countries and better integrate long-term residents.
No: Critics argue the current standard is fair and that shortening it could politicize immigration and overwhelm the system.
How Referendums Work in Italy
These referendums are valid only if at least 50% + 1 of eligible voters participate. If the quorum is not reached, the votes are null, regardless of the outcome.
In recent decades, this threshold has rarely been met. The last time an abrogative referendum reached the quorum was over a decade ago. The rule dates back to the post-war Constitution, when civic participation—especially in general elections—was much higher. Today, turnout tends to be lower, and many parties use strategic abstention as a way to invalidate referendums they oppose.
Political Context: A U-Turn from the Center-Left
There’s another layer to these votes: political irony. Most of the labor laws targeted for repeal were passed by center-left governments—notably Matteo Renzi’s 2015 Jobs Act. Today, the same political bloc, including the Democratic Party (PD) and Left-Green Alliance, supports their removal.
The right-wing coalition, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has largely avoided campaigning on the referendums and invited voters to stay home, hoping the quorum will not be reached. Meanwhile, parties like +Europa, Radicali, and Italian Socialist Party have actively promoted the citizenship referendum.
Why the Questions Are Hard to Understand
While the technical language of the questions may be hard to follow, the challenge goes even deeper: the texts on the ballot are written in dense legal language and refer only to the partial repeal of existing laws—often just specific clauses. According to Italy’s Constitutional Court, referendums cannot create legal vacuums, so voters are never asked to eliminate an entire law outright. Instead, each question targets a narrow segment, making the phrasing complex even for native Italian speakers.
This means that voters arriving at the polls are expected to already know what each question refers to and what a “Yes” or “No” vote would mean in practical terms. No explanatory summary is provided on the ballot itself. As a result, understanding the real-world impact of each referendum requires prior research, making informed participation more difficult for many.
Why It matters
Despite the complexity of the questions, the referendums reflect some of Italy’s most urgent issues: labor precarity, workplace safety, and social inclusion. Results will be available after polls close on Monday night—but the first key number to watch is simple: 50%.
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