The Senate approved the separation of careers in Berlusconi's name, a move that sparked controversy and the challenge of a referendum.
The right rejoices
The final two steps in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate will take place in the fall, but without any changes, followed by the referendum. Meloni: "A step forward." Boccia: "Power reform." Renzi abstains: "A flag." The National Magistrates' Association (ANM): "Fewer guarantees for citizens."
Yesterday, the Senate approved the constitutional reform of the separation of careers with 106 votes in favor (FI, Lega, Fd'I, Nm, Azione), 61 against (PD, AVS, M5S), and 11 abstentions (Iv), in the presence of Justice Minister Carlo Nordio. Following the vote, the opposition staged a protest, holding up the cover of the Italian Constitution and chanting "shame, shame!" While a surreal flash mob of Fd'I parliamentary groups took place outside.
The first phase of deliberation has thus concluded, given that the bill had already passed the Chamber of Deputies last January. In the fall, the measure will return to Montecitorio and then back to the Senate Chamber. However, amendments will no longer be possible. Therefore, the next steps will be a simple stamp of approval, which the majority hopes to obtain before the start of the debate on the budget law, and then hold a referendum by the end of spring 2026. " This is a very important step towards the independence of the judiciary from itself and its factions, through the reorganization of the CSM. It is a giant leap towards the implementation of the accusatory process desired by Giuliano Vassalli," declared the Keeper of the Seals. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also hailed the result, saying that its approval " marks an important step towards a commitment we made to the Italian people and which we are resolutely carrying forward."
The Forza Italia party dedicated the reform's approval to Silvio Berlusconi. " For us in Forza Italia, this is a wonderful day that we dedicate, I repeat, to Silvio Berlusconi, who has devoted a significant portion of his political activity to justice reform. Today he succeeded, he is looking up to us," said Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani. " Today (yesterday) is a day that will go down in history. The journey toward fairer justice, which the League has been pursuing since the referendums, is one step closer to the finish line. The Senate's approval of the justice reform will ensure equality among all parties involved in a trial and will effectively free the judiciary from biased factions, also thanks to the establishment of the High Court. Now let's move forward quickly; Italy deserves it," declared Undersecretary of State for Justice, Andrea Ostellari.
Matteo Renzi, abstaining, said he was "in favor" of separation, but "not of a reform that is little more than a flag " that " doesn't solve any of the justice system's problems. " The senator then went on the attack: "You say you want to restore centrality to politics, but you had the reform drafted by magistrates in the legislative offices, then endorsed by magistrate and undersecretary Mantovano, and you even prevent parliamentarians, even those from the majority, from having a say." He then pointed the finger at Giusi Bartolozzi for the Almasri affair: "At 6:50 I received a message from the Chief of Staff that was half sarcastic and half threatening. Besides, if anyone is thinking of threatening me, they've got the wrong person; but at least let them threaten me via Signal."
Francesco Boccia , leader of the Democratic Party in the Senate, was completely critical: " It is a reform of power, which views justice not as a guarantee, but as an obstacle, where power is domination, not responsibility. This reform does not strengthen the balance of power; it breaks it. It does not protect the autonomy of the judicial function; it bends it. And it does so with a specific plan: to make the prosecuting judiciary a separate, isolated, culturally subordinate body. A judiciary that is no longer autonomous, but domesticated." Five Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte also rejected the reform: "Slow trials, precarious workers at risk in the courts, apps for online trials that have created chaos, disruption, and queues for weeks, criminals who escape before arrest because they are warned under the Meloni-Nordio reform, pickpockets go unpunished because without a report from the robbed person, law enforcement and the courts can do nothing. Obviously, these are not problems for the Meloni government to solve; they are the problems of ordinary citizens."
The National Magistrates' Association (ANM) also issued a statement : "The constitutional reform approved today (yesterday, ed.) will strip away citizens' guarantees; this is our primary concern. And it's clear that the intent of this reform is to create a tamed and subservient judiciary, one that abdicates its role of overseeing legality."
l'Unità
