Meloni Declines to Collect Referendum Ballot Paper Amid Criticism

Rome: Premier Giorgia Meloni announced on Monday her intention to attend her voting station for the upcoming referendums on June 8 and 9 but stated she will not pick up her ballot paper, effectively choosing not to contribute to the votes reaching quorum.

According to Ansa News Agency, the referendums aim to abolish various regulations, with four concerning labour legislation, including three derived from the 2026 Jobs Act that liberalized the labour market. Additionally, one of the referendums addresses the rules for non-EU citizens applying for Italian citizenship. A favorable vote on the citizenship issue would reduce the required residency period in Italy from ten to five years for non-EU citizens seeking to apply for citizenship.

Meloni’s decision to refrain from collecting the ballot paper has sparked criticism from opposition parties. The centre-left Democratic Party (PD) accused her of mocking the Italian people, while the 5-Star Movement (M5S) described her position as outrageous yet unsurprising.