Meloni government shaken after referendum defeat: Two high-level resignations and a ministerial call

The right-wing coalition government led by Giorgia Meloni has begun to face turmoil after suffering an unexpected defeat in the judicial reform referendum held on March 22-23. Due to both public debate and emerging allegations, two high-level figures at the Ministry of Justice have left their posts. Furthermore, the resignation of the Minister of Tourism is also being requested.

Deputy Minister of Justice Andrea Delmastro announced his resignation in a written statement following recent reports that he had established business ties with someone allegedly linked to the mafia. In his statement, Delmastro said: "Although I have done nothing wrong, I committed an oversight that I rectified as soon as I became aware of it. I am taking responsibility for this for the sake of the nation's interests, especially out of love and respect for the government and the Prime Minister." It is recalled that Delmastro was previously tried and received a suspended prison sentence in another incident last year for leaking classified documents.

Giusi Bartolozzi, Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Justice, also stepped down due to controversial statements she made during the referendum process and various allegations involving her name. Her remarks in a television program in Sicily before the referendum, "If 'Yes' wins, we will get rid of the judges; they are a firing squad," had met with harsh public reaction. Additionally, Bartolozzi's name remained in the headlines due to allegations that she provided false information to prosecutors in the case of a Libyan police official, wanted by the International Criminal Court in January 2025, being released in Italy.

STATEMENT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE IN THE EVENING

Following the resignations of Delmastro and Bartolozzi, the Prime Minister's Office issued a statement. The statement noted that Prime Minister Meloni "appreciated" the resignations and emphasized that she had also called on Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanche, who is under investigation for corruption and fraud charges, to show the same sensitivity and resign. The statement said, "Meloni also hopes that Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanche will make a similar decision in line with the same institutional sensitivity."

Meloni's call for Santanche to resign was reported as a "breaking news" development in the Italian media. It is assessed that this move stands out as an effort by the government to regain public trust following the referendum defeat.

RESERVATION VOTES AND REFERENDUM RESULT

The Meloni government had gone to a referendum for a constitutional amendment aimed at reorganizing the reassignment and appointment of judges and prosecutors, within the framework of criticisms that the judicial system had become politicized. While turnout was 58.9 percent in the vote, which had a total of 51.4 million registered voters, 53.7 percent of voters said "No" to the reforms. This result was recorded as the first major political defeat for the Meloni-led administration after four years in power.

Following the referendum in question, the image of the government as being strong has also been severely damaged. Now, with high-level resignations and expectations of further departures, the roadmap the Meloni cabinet will follow is a matter of curiosity.

News Source: 12punto