Rejected — Turnout: 65.47%
About this election
Italy held a constitutional referendum on 4 December 2016, in which voters were asked to approve a package of constitutional amendments proposed by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's government. The reforms would have drastically reduced the powers and size of the Senate (from 315 to 100 members), eliminated the Senate's equal legislative standing with the Chamber of Deputies, and streamlined the relationship between central government and regions. Renzi campaigned personally on the reforms and tied his political fate to the outcome. Voters rejected the changes decisively: 59.11% No against 40.89% Yes, with turnout of 65.47%. Renzi resigned as prime minister the following day. The referendum was the second high-profile populist rejection in Europe in 2016, following the UK's Brexit vote, and contributed to Italy's political instability in subsequent years.
Italian constitutional referendums are held under Article 138 of the Italian Constitution. If a constitutional amendment does not pass with a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Parliament, it can be sent to a referendum if requested by one-fifth of Parliament, 500,000 electors, or five regional councils within three months of the law's publication. Unlike most referendums in Italy, constitutional referendums have no minimum turnout quorum — the result is valid regardless of participation, and the Yes side wins with a simple majority of valid votes cast.
Renzi became PM in February 2014 after ousting Enrico Letta as PD leader in an internal coup — Italy's third consecutive unelected prime minister since Berlusconi's fall in 2011. His government was a reformist one that also introduced the Jobs Act labour market reform and Buona Scuola education changes. The Senate reform was his signature constitutional project, aimed at ending Italy's "perfect bicameralism" — the unique feature that both chambers hold equal and full legislative power, creating legislative bottlenecks. After the referendum defeat, Paolo Gentiloni (PD) served as caretaker PM until the March 2018 elections.
Italian Ministry of the Interior (Ministero dell'Interno) — elezioni.interno.gov.it.