By Redaction ARPS Media with AP
Italy’s referendum on citizenship and labor laws failed because only about 30% of voters turned out, which was below the required 50% plus one for the vote to be counted.
The proposals aimed to make it easier for children born to foreign parents in Italy to gain citizenship and to offer more job protections. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing allies encouraged people not to vote, celebrating the failure as a political win.
This outcome was a significant setback for the center-left opposition and the labor unions that supported the referendum. Essential changes included reducing the residency period for citizenship applications from 10 years to 5 years, affecting approximately 2.5 million foreign nationals.
Activists criticized the lack of public discussion on these matters, noting that only 46% of Italians were aware of the referendum’s details.
Read original article at: Low turnout torpedoes Italian referendum on citizenship and job protections | AP News
