Citizenship Vote Fails to Make the Grade in Italy

Italy recently held a referendum on June 8 and 9. This vote was all about making it easier to become a citizen and improving workers' rights. The big idea was to cut the time needed to live in Italy before applying for citizenship from 10 to 5 years. This change would have made Italy's citizenship rules more like those of other European countries. The vote was pushed by everyday people and backed by various groups and unions, all rooting for a "Yes" vote. The turnout was disappointing. Only about 30% of eligible voters showed up. This was way below the 50% needed to make the results official. In some regions, like Sicily and Calabria, turnout was as low as 22%. This low participation was a big letdown for those who had been campaigning hard for the changes. The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, didn't exactly roll out the welcome mat for this referendum. Meloni even said the current citizenship law was "excellent" and "very open. " She visited a polling station but didn't vote. Her party later posted a triumphant message on social media, claiming victory. This stance from the government made it even harder for the referendum to reach the required threshold. The failure to hit the 50% mark was a significant blow to the activists who had been pushing for these changes. They argued that a 10-year wait was too long and that reducing it to 5 years would align Italy with many of its neighbors. The low turnout was a setback for these activists, who had been working tirelessly to promote the referendum. The referendum's failure has sparked discussions about changing the rules for future votes. Some are suggesting that the threshold for calling a referendum should be increased to reduce the number of votes that end up being non-binding. This would make it harder for referendums to be initiated but could ensure that those that do happen have more significant participation. Italy has a history of referendums, with about half of them since World War II attracting enough votes to be binding. The first one, in 1946, saw a high turnout of 89%, with just over half of voters choosing to replace the monarchy with a republic. Successful referendums have also been held on issues like abortion and divorce. The last one to reach the required threshold was in 2011, when voters rejected a law privatizing water services.