The Constitutional Referendum of June 2006: End of the “Great Reform” but Not of Reform Itself

Abstract

On 25–26 June 2006—the 60th anniversary of the Constituent Assembly’s commencement of its work drafting the Italian Constitution (25 June 1946)—a referendum was held that called on the Italian people to accept or reject a package of proposals that had been passed by the center-right majority in November 2005 and that promised to rewrite radically a substantial part of that document. Following the national elections (April), local elections (May), and (parliamentary) election of the president of the Republic (May), the referendum was, in many ways, an electoral appointment that was one too many, as was evidenced in a lackluster campaign by the parties. This is ironic because it could be regarded as the most significant consultation of Italian voters for many years. In any event, the voters delivered a decisive verdict, rejecting by a large majority the proposals for constitutional revision.