Italy will hold a constitutional referendum on justice reform on 22–23 March 2026, asking voters whether to approve a major overhaul of the country’s judicial system.
This is a confirmatory constitutional referendum under Article 138 of the Italian Constitution. It does not require a turnout quorum — only a simple majority of votes cast is needed to approve the reform. Voters will decide whether to approve the constitutional law titled “Provisions on the judicial system and the establishment of the Disciplinary Court,” approved by Parliament and published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale on 30 October 2025.
Registered voters in Italy — including citizens temporarily abroad who meet legal criteria — will cast a Yes or No vote on whether to adopt the constitutional changes in full.
YES — approves the constitutional reform law as passed by Parliament.
NO — rejects it, and the constitutional changes do not take effect.
Key Elements of the Proposed Reform
The “Nordio reform”, named after the current Minister for Justice, contains several structural changes, including:
– Separation of careers for judges and public prosecutors so they can no longer switch roles.
– Split of the Higher Council of the Judiciary (CSM) into two distinct bodies — one for judges and one for prosecutors.
– Establishment of a new Disciplinary Court responsible for disciplinary proceedings against magistrates.
– Changes to how members of judicial governing bodies are selected.
The referendum is a pivotal moment in Italy’s judicial policy. Supporters argue the changes will increase judicial accountability, reduce internal factionalism, and modernize the justice system. Opponents however have raised concerns about judicial independence and the balance of powers arguing the reform would concentrate power over prosecutors and judges in ways that could subordinate them to political influence, and say the changes could weaken checks and balances.
If a majority of voters approve the reform, the constitutional amendments will take effect, reshaping key aspects of Italy’s judicial structure. If rejected, the existing constitutional framework remains unchanged.