What is career separation and what it changes with the justice reform

The Senate gave the green light to the second reading of the constitutional reform of the separation of careers between judges and prosecutors. The Senate's vote ratifies the second of four parliamentary steps marking the reform's passage. The first was the one in Montecitorio on 16 January. Predictably, no changes were made to the text approved by the government last year, as was the case in the Chamber. On the next two steps, the government and the majority will push on the accelerator with the aim of going to the probable referendum, which does not have a quorum, in spring 2026.

"The approval at second reading in the Senate of the constitutional reform of the justice system marks an important step towards a commitment that we had made to the Italians and that we are resolutely pursuing." Premier Giorgia Meloni affirmed this on social media. "The path," she adds, "is not yet concluded, but today we confirm our determination to give Italy an increasingly efficient, fair and transparent judicial system.

Opposition protest in the Senate chamber after the approval of the constitutional bill on the separation of careers. Many opposition senators sang the chorus 'shame, shame'. The PD parliamentarians protested by raising placards with the cover of the Constitution. From the M5S benches they raised placards telling the majority not to pursue this law in the name of Falcone and Borsellino. 'Not in my name', the placards read, flanked by the photo of the anti-Mafia judges. Next to it was the sign 'but in theirs', with a photomontage of Licio Gelli next to Silvio Berlusconi.

I senatore del Pd, al momento del voto della riforma della separazione delle carriere, hanno tutti esposto un frontespizio della Costituzione rovesciata. I deputati di M5s hanno invece alzato un cartello con le immagini di Borsellino e Falcone con la scritta "non nel loro nome". +++FOTO DIFFUSA DALL'UFFICIO STAMPA - USARE SOLO PER ILLUSTRARE OGGI LA NOTIZIA INDICATA NEL TITOLO - NON ARCHIVIARE - NON VENDERE - NON USARE PER FINI NON GIORNALISTICI - NPK+++

"The constitutional reform approved today will take away citizens' guarantees, this is our main concern. And it is clear that the intention of this reform is to have a tamed and subordinate judiciary, which renounces its task of controlling legality". This was stated by the Central Executive Council of the National Association of Magistrates. "In full respect of today's vote and waiting for the subsequent parliamentary steps provided for by Article 138 of the Constitution, we will continue to intervene in the public debate to argue with conviction and determination the reasons for our opposition to this bill. We will do so in the coming months and we will do so until the referendum. The Nordio reform jeopardises the independence of the judiciary, it does so by weakening the self-governing body in the first place. And it does so by not providing the justice system with the resources it needs to function effectively. This reform does not strengthen the rule of law: it makes it more fragile,' concludes the Central Executive Council of the ANM.

Although the reform lacks the two-thirds vote needed to avoid a confirmatory popular referendum, part of the opposition supports the intervention. This is the case with Azione. "We are voting for the separation of careers, it was in our election programme. What's the problem, if you think it's right for the country why shouldn't I vote for it,' Carlo Calenda told Ominbus on La7. While Renzi deploys Iv on the line of abstention. An abstention of 'openness'