Referendum, government exults: nothing but eviction. Landini: goal not achieved. Schlein: '14 million on the ballot, let's talk about it at the political level'

It also rains reactions from the centre-left.

"Our goal was to reach a quorum, it is clear that we did not reach it. Today is not a day of victory. At the same time, the latest figures tell us that more than 14 million people have voted in our country, to which Italians abroad will be added: an important number, a starting number. The problems we posed with the referendums remain on the table'. Thus the general secretary of the CGIL, Maurizio Landini, at a press conference after the closure of the polling stations, in the headquarters of the Promoting Committee for the labour referendum, where he awaited the results together with the rest of the confederal secretariat.

'There are those who chose not to discuss, even going so far as to invite people not to go and vote without ever discussing the merits of the issues raised,' the trade unionist stressed. 'They tried to turn this referendum into a vote against the government but it was not our choice. We have always said that this was not a political vote or a vote against the government, but that it was a vote to change baleful laws,' Landini continued. "We are in the midst of a democratic crisis and within an unprecedented labour crisis, and the fact that instead of debating we avoided direct confrontation by playing on not going to vote and trying to pass it off as a vote against the government, is not our responsibility but a choice we have taken note of."

'A step backwards? Absolutely not,' Landini clarifies. 'This is not the conclusion, it is the beginning of a strategy. We knew that the referendum could also involve the risk of not reaching the quorum: we ran it, we did everything but we did not reach it and this must be recognised. But at the same time everyone must reflect on the fact that there are 14 million people who went to vote and who said they shared these issues. So let's relaunch this initiative starting with them'. So no step backwards even on his part? "I don't think so."

"The difference between us and Meloni's right-wingers is that today we are happy that more than 14 million people went to vote, while they are rejoicing because the others did not go. We will talk about it again at the next political elections. They have made a real campaign of political and media boycott of this vote but they have little to celebrate: more voters voted for these referendums than those who voted for the right by sending Meloni into government in 2022. When more people than those who voted for you ask you to change a law you should reflect instead of mocking them'. This was stated in a note on the referendums by PD secretary Elly Schlein. 'We will continue in our commitment alongside those millions of voters who went to vote hoping to reduce precarity and make Italy fairer, motivating us even more in building the alternative'.

"I read loud statements and jubilation from the 'fans' of politics. Bring respect to the 15 million or so citizens who went to vote. Bring respect to the more than 12 million who voted yes to greater labour protections. We are talking about more than 12 million citizens who, regardless of political colours, demand more protection against dismissals, precariousness and accidents at work. We will always be on their side, on the right side. And we will carry on the fight for them in Parliament'. This was written on social media by the leader of the 5-Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, adding that 'if they seem insignificant numbers to you, consider that it is the same number of voters (indeed in the end it could be even more) with whom the Meloni majority came to the government'.

"A deep, serious, avoidable defeat. Unfortunately a huge gift to Giorgia Meloni and the right-wingers. Outside our bubble there is a country that wants a future and not settling accounts about the past. Now maturity, seriousness and listening, avoiding absolutist acrobatics on numbers'. This was written on X by Pd MEP and Vice-President of the Euro Chamber, Pina Picierno, commenting on the results of the referendum.

'A game that made sense to play. We have a social front, united, which even in terms of voters is worth the centre-right,' says Francesco Boccia, on La7, talking about the referendum vote. 'Elly Schlein has done nothing but follow a consistent path, exactly as she announced on election day, she has done what she promised her voters. The PD will continue on that path because it is the one that distinguishes the left from the right,' underlines the president of the PD senators. 'Giorgia Meloni is in the Chigi palace by 12 million 300 thousand votes, a minority that is a majority in Parliament. Today 15 million people voted, I don't know how many yeses there are but the questions are very identifiable. They deserve the same respect as those 12 million 300 thousand for whom Meloni is Prime Minister,' Boccia concluded.

In a joint note, Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni of Avs place the emphasis on the fact that 'the quorum was not reached, it is true. But there are more than 15 million citizens who have chosen to vote, and with around 13 million Yes votes, they are sending out a strong and clear message, stronger even than the consensus that now holds Giorgia Meloni in Palazzo Chigi. If Meloni believes that abstention is a political signal in her favour, she is making a serious mistake. Of course, those 13 million are not even 'ours', but those of an Italy that asks to be heard, that demands commitment. And it is with this part of the country that we want to build the alternative'.

"If the centre-left wants to win, it must build an alternative to the Meloni government of 2025 and not the Renzi government of 2015. Let's do it together on concrete challenges: wages, taxes, security, youth, health. It can be done, but we need less ideology and more politics'. Iv leader Matteo Renzi writes this on social media with the hashtags Jobs act and Referendum 2025.