Justice, third yes to the separation of careers: tussle in the House. What changes with the reform
The fourth reading in the Senate is expected by the end of the year. In the absence of a qualified two-thirds majority, the law will be submitted to a popular referendum. The consultation (for which no quorum is required) could be held in the spring of next year.
5' min read
Key points
- Bagarre in the Chamber after the green light on reform
- Tajani: I did not applaud, threats from Pd and M5s MPs
- Meloni: justice reform is historic, we move forward
- Schlein: battle continues even with referendum, government obsessed with power
- Career separation
- The two Csm and the appointment by lot
- High Court Discipline
- Times
5' min read
The House gave the green light to the third reading of the constitutional reform with the separation of the careers of magistrates with 243 votes in favour and 109 against. The bill goes back to the Senate for the final yes vote. Since the two-thirds majority was not reached, there will be a confirmatory referendum. Since this is the second conforming reading, the text was not amendable. So in the Chamber in Montecitorio there was general discussion and then the vote. All in forced stages with the river session requested by Fdi and strongly opposed by the opposition. It is now up to the Senate, by the end of the year (after the first two go-ahead votes in January and July 2025), to close the process with the fourth reading. And as early as June 2026, the confirmatory referendum envisaged for constitutional amendments approved with less than two-thirds of the votes can be held.
The aim of the centre-right majority is therefore to give priority to a reform that has become an increasing priority. A plan supported by the conviction that at the referendum (expected in the first half of 2026) 'the Italians will reward' the choice to reform the judiciary by separating careers. And that popular vote, is the reasoning behind it, may represent a sort of tow towards the general elections that are likely to be held in spring 2027.
Bagarre in the Chamber after the green light on reform
It should be noted that the PD, through the voice of group leader Chiara Braga, harshly criticised the government members present for applauding after the reform had been approved in the chamber of Montecitorio. At that point, several members of the opposition approached the government benches to protest. While Speaker Sergio Costa called for calm, tensions rose between deputies from different sides who were about to come to blows. At that point the sitting was temporarily suspended and resumed a few minutes later.
Tajani: I did not applaud, threats from Pd and M5s deputies
"I did not applaud, and I did not go and threaten anyone as others did, deputies of the PD and the 5 Stars who came under the government benches," said Vice-Premier and Forza Italia leader Antonio Tajani speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the vote on the justice reform, in the Chamber, rejecting the accusations that came from the opposition. If there was a certain euphoria it is because 'for us it is a historic reform', added the Foreign Minister, others instead 'have threatened: even people who have been ministers should have different attitudes. It is not that I am intimidated by ten deputies of the 5 Star or the PD who come under the government benches,' he added.
Meloni: justice reform is historic, we move forward
That justice reform is one of the government's priorities, after all, Premier Giorgia Meloni reminded us on Sunday at the UDC party. And she repeated it today. "With the approval on third reading in the Chamber of Deputies, we are taking the path of justice reform forward. We will continue to work to give Italy and the Italians an increasingly efficient and transparent justice system. While waiting for the final OK from the Senate, we will move forward with determination to deliver to the nation a historic reform that has been awaited for years," Meloni said on social media.
