http://dx.doi.org/10.17176/20260326-163435-0 https://verfassungsblog.de/no-grazie/ No, Grazie - The Rule of Law Lives to See Another Day Lobina, Benedetta eng 2026-03-25 electronic resource text/html ddc:342 EU Italien Italy Meloni Referendum judicial reform EU Italien Verfassungsblog Verfassungsblog--2366-7044 CC BY-SA 4.0 Over the weekend, Italians resoundingly rejected the Meloni government’s constitutional reform on the overhaul of the judiciary via referendum. With the “No” side receiving 53.2% of the popular support, with an unexpectedly high turnout at 55.7%, this is Meloni’s first political defeat since becoming Prime Minister in 2022. The consequences of the referendum show that Italian checks and balances are stronger than one might have feared. As Meloni is likely to adjust her strategy, and with new electoral reforms on the horizon, Italian democratic resilience will soon face another real test.