In Italy, from 1946 to today they have been held 78 referendum on a national scale. Almost all questions, 72 out of 78, have had abrogative characterthat is, they were called to repeal laws approved by Parliament, as will be those of 8 and 9 June 2025 who will concern the Work and the citizenship. The abrogative consultations provide for the quorum (it must vote for more than 50% of those entitled), which in many cases has not been achieved. Four other referendums carried out in our country have had character constitutional (to confirm changes to the Constitution), a referendum was institutional (to choose between monarchy and republic) and one advisory (about the European Union).
How many referendums have been organized in Italy
In our country, 78 national referendums have been called from the fall of fascism to date. More precisely:
- 72 Referendum abrogative
- 4 Constitutional referendums
- 1 institutional referendum
- 1 address referendum
Other consultations have been organized on a local scale.
Before the establishment of the Italian Republic, they were held in the peninsula The “Risorgimento” plebiscites for the annexation of pre -unification states to the Kingdom of Italy. In addition, during fascism two referendum consultations were organized, one in 1929 and one in 1934, to approve a bulk list of deputies prepared by the regime, without democratic guarantees.
The institutional referendum of 1946
The most important referendum in our history is the institutional one of June 2, 1946, to which the existence of the Italian Republic itself is due. Citizens were called to choose whether to keep the monarchical system, in force from the unification of Italy, or establish a republic. The choice was clear: The Republic established itself with 54.7% of the consensusovercoming the monarchical choice of about two million votes.
Today it would not be possible to organize new institutional referendums, since the Constitution, in article 139, establishes that “the republican form cannot be subject to constitutional revision”.
Substantly referendums
Southline referendums are the most common ones. Although they are foreseen by the Constitution, in the first 26 years since its entry into force, nobody was called. The first referendum held after 1946 was that of 1974 to repeal the law that had legalized the divorce. To the consultation, convened on the initiative of Catholic parties and movements, he won the “no” And the divorce was not abolished.
New referendums were organized in 1978 and 1981. Among the latter, they were two Questions on abortionwho had been made legal by law 194 of 1978: a question, proposed by the Catholic area, asked to abolish the right to interrupt unwanted pregnancies; Another, proposed by the radical party, was of the opposite sign and wanted to make them easier. Both questions were rejected and Law 194 was not changed. Another important consultation took place in 1987after which some laws were changed and was established to renounce to produce nuclear energy, closing the plants in operation.
Starting from the 90s, due to the end of the so -called first republic and the growth of the distrust towards the political system representative And towards the parties, the use of the referendum instrument was more frequent. However, the problem of quorum: Until the 1980s it was almost obvious that at least half of the voters would go to vote and the consultation was valid. Later, due to the decrease in electoral participation, reaching the quorum became problematic. In each consultation, moreover, there are political forces that exploit this situation e promote abstentionismThat is, they invite their supporters not to go to vote, in order to make consultations fail. The first referendums invalidated by the failure to reach the quorum were the three Questions on hunting and pesticides of 1990.
Since 1997, no abrogative referendum has reached the quorum, with the exception of Four questions from 2011 Speaking of public water (to block the privatizations of the water system), energy (to confirm the “no” to nuclear) and the “legitimate impediment” (to abolish the rule that allowed the maximum charges of the state not to present itself to the processes).
The last referendums were held in 2022 regarding the order of justice. Only 20% of those entitled voted.
Constitutional referendums
During the history of the Republic, citizens have been called four times to approve or reject changes to the Constitution. All constitutional consultations, which do not provide for the quorum, have been called in the last 25 years. More specifically, in 2001 a referendum approved the Reform of Title Vwhich gave more powers to local authorities and regions; The two subsequent changes, proposed in 2006 (Berlusconi government) and 2016 (Renzi government) were rejected; The last constitutional reform was successful, concerning the reduction of the number of parliamentariansapproved with a 2020 referendum.
The 1989 address referendum
Up to now in our country only an address referendum has been called (i.e. consultative and non -binding): that of 1989 on European integration. Citizens were asked if they approved the transformation of the European Community into one Union with larger skills And if they wanted the European Parliament to have constituent power, that is, it was in charge of drawing up the Constitution of the EU. The outcome was very clear: 88% of citizens declared themselves favorable.
In the following years, as we know, the union has actually been founded; Parliament has not specifically drawn up a European Constitution, but some treaties have been signed that define the principles of the EU.
