Overview

• Senate President Ignazio La Russa publicly announced his intent to campaign for abstention in Italy's June 8–9 referendums, sparking backlash from opposition leaders.
• The referendums, addressing labor law rollbacks and citizenship reform, require a 50% voter turnout to be valid, a threshold historically difficult to achieve in Italy.
• An Ipsos poll estimates voter participation between 32% and 38%, far below the quorum, raising concerns about the referendums' validity.
• Opposition parties, including PD, M5S, and +Europa, have intensified voter outreach campaigns to promote participation and 'Yes' votes, condemning La Russa's stance as undemocratic.
• Constitutional experts remain divided on the legitimacy of promoting abstention, with some citing historical precedent to argue it is a valid political strategy.