Voter inquiry: Is it mandatory to participate in all five of Italy's forthcoming referendums?
Take a Vote! Elaine Allaby Save* Add a comment
Voting in Italy's upcoming citizenship referendum, but unsure about the other labor-related referendums? No sweat! On June 8th and 9th, Italians will face a proposal to ease the citizenship path through residency, but four additional, unrelated referendums on labor law provisions will be held simultaneously.
Here's the Scoop
The citizenship referendum intends to reduce the current 10-year residency requirement to five years. However, Italians also face a quartet of referendums focusing on labor law provisions concerning unfair dismissals, severance compensation for small businesses, contract conditions, and contractors' liability for workplace injuries.
You can access details of the four labor-related referendums on the interior ministry's website[1], while more in-depth information (in Italian) is available online as well[1]. Italians are free to cast votes in one, multiple, or any number of these referendums, as they please.
Each ballot is printed on a different colored card, numbered from one to five, with the citizenship referendum using a yellow card (ballot number 5). At the polling station, identify yourself using your electoral card and pick up only the ballots for the referendums you desire to vote on.
But Wait, There's More!
Unlike the citizenship referendum, not all the labor-related referendums require a quorum of over 50% voter participation for their results to be valid. If you deposit a blank ballot paper, it counts towards reaching the quorum for that specific referendum, and if you don't pick up a ballot, it won't contribute to reaching that quorum.
Keep in mind, key figures in Italy's ruling coalition have urged supporters to abstain from voting altogether on June 8th and 9th to prevent all votes from reaching the quorum.
If you are registered to vote from abroad by post, you should have received all five ballots to your foreign-registered address in an envelope containing instructions on how to return them to the relevant Italian consulate.
Guidelines on returning completed ballots may vary slightly between countries, so it's essential to follow them carefully. Your vote counts only if the completed ballots are received by your Italian consulate by 4pm local time on Thursday, June 5th, at the latest.
Other Need-to-Knows
If you are eligible and registered according to Italian electoral laws, you can vote in your municipality of residence, or under certain conditions, elsewhere if you're temporarily residing for work, studies, or health reasons[3]. Italians living abroad can register and vote through consular services[2].
Choose to vote according to your interests and preferences; it's perfectly fine if you only wish to participate in the citizenship referendum. controversy, spread misinformation, or encourage illegal activities. Use the platform to share your opinions and engage in constructive conversations.
[1] Interior Ministry's website: referendum details[2] Italians living abroad can vote: details[3] Eligibility and registration: details
- The upcoming Italian citizenship referendum aims to reduce the current 10-year residency requirement to five years.
- In addition to the citizenship referendum, there are four labor-related referendums focusing on policies in Italy's political landscape.
- Meloni, a key figure in Italy's ruling coalition, has urged supporters to abstain from voting in the labor-related referendums on June 8th and 9th to prevent votes from reaching the quorum.
- Italians living abroad can vote on the referendums through consular services and should return their completed ballots by 4pm local time on Thursday, June 5th.
- Registered voters can vote on the referendums based on their interests and preferences, but should avoid spreading misinformation or encouraging illegal activities in the process.
