The referendum on justice reform will take place on 22 and 23 March. The decision came from the Council of Ministers, which rejected the opposition’s request to move the vote to April. Now only the last formal step is missing: the proclamation decree by the President of the Republic, which will be published in the Official Journal.
The choice of dates was not at all neutral. For weeks, the referendum calendar has been at the center of a political clash: the majority was pushing to vote as soon as possible, while the opposition asked for more time to organize an effective information campaign against a reform which, according to them, risks weakening the independence of the judiciary.
And the game is not yet completely over. In fact, a signature collection promoted by the “Civil Society Committee for the No” is underway to propose a second referendum question on justice, slightly different from the one already approved. According to the Union of Italian Criminal Chambers, this initiative would have the aim of slowing down the process and trying to postpone the voting date.
To be valid, the collection must reach 500 thousand signatures by January 30th. At the moment, around 350 thousand have been collected. An ambitious goal, which in the coming weeks will tell whether there is still room to change the calendar or whether the country will definitively move towards the March vote.
Once again, the topic of justice confirms itself as one of the most delicate and divisive areas of the Italian political debate.
What will we vote for on March 22nd and 23rd
It will be a confirmatory referendum on the constitutional reform of justice, because the law approved by Parliament did not reach the qualified majority required by the Constitution and therefore must be subjected to a popular vote to come into force.
The question submitted to the voters asks whether they want to approve or reject the text of the constitutional law concerning “Regulations regarding the jurisdictional system and the establishment of the Disciplinary Court”, published in the Official Journal on 30 October 2025. In practice it involves deciding whether or not to confirm an amendment to the Constitution which introduces significant changes to the judicial system, including:
If the Yes vote wins, the constitutional reform is confirmed and becomes law. If the No vote wins, the reform will not apply and the system will remain as it is.
The Civil Society Committee for no
The game is still completely open. In fact, a collection of signatures is underway promoted by the Civil Society Committee for the No to the constitutional referendum, chaired by Professor Giovanni Bachelet, which is promoted and composed of associations that are an expression of civil society: CGIL, Anpi, Acli, Arci, Auser, Libera, Libertà e Giustizia, Legambiente, Juristi Democratici, Save the Constitution, Coordination for Constitutional Democracy, Sbilanciamoci, League for Local Autonomies, Article 21, Pax Christi, Center for State Reform, Democratic Medicine, Committees for the No to any differentiated autonomy, Movements for water as a common good, Temporary justice workers, Together for justice, Comma 2 Work and Dignity, Knowledge Network, Secondary Students’ Network, Union of University Students, Constitutionalists for the No, #NOBAVAGLIO Network.
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The aim is to propose a request for a referendum on justice with a slightly different question from the one already approved.
To be valid, the collection must reach 500 thousand signatures by January 30th. At the moment, around 350 thousand have been collected. An ambitious goal, which in the coming weeks will tell whether there is still room to change the calendar or whether the country will definitively move towards the March vote.
Below is the link to the signature collection platform for the promotion of the referendum opposing the constitutional reform of the judiciary: https://firmereferendum.giustizia.it/referendum/open/dettaglio-open/5400034
Once again, the topic of justice confirms itself as one of the most delicate and divisive areas of the Italian political debate.
