THEthe referendum on referenced autonomywhich asked citizens to repeal the law that allows the Regions to obtain greater legislative, administrative and financial autonomy from the State, he was rejectedunlike those on Jobs Act and the Citizenship Act which, instead, will be done. The ballot boxesaccording to the predictions of the jurist Francesco Clementi, who spoke this morning on Radio Anch’io, they will open in June. The precise date, however, will depend on the institutional timing that will follow the Constitutional Court’s ruling yesterday gave the green light to popular consultations.
Referendum, but on what?
In the spring, therefore, Italians will be called to vote on five referendums, four concerning the Jobs Act And one concerningprecisely, the law on the citizenship of foreigners. Maurizio Landini, general secretary of the CGIL, who promoted those on the Jobs Act, greeted the Court’s decision with great enthusiasm, talking about “spring of rights and voting”. According to the union leader, in fact, the possibility opens up of canceling “wrong” laws that have reduced rights and fueled precariousness.
Jobs Act, what to vote for
The Jobs Actintroduced during the government of Matteo Renzi, has been the subject of numerous criticisms, especially regarding job security and precariousness. The four referendums on work aim to modify some of its provisions. Here are the questions:
- Repeal of the regulations on dismissals from the contract with increasing protections: it is proposed to eliminate the rules that allow companies not to reinstate an illegally dismissed worker if hired after 2015.
- Cancellation of the cap on compensation for dismissals in small businesses: the aim is to increase protection for workers in companies with fewer than 15 employees, eliminating the maximum limit of six months’ compensation in the event of unjustified dismissal.
- Elimination of some rules on the use of fixed-term contracts: it is proposed to change the rules governing the use of fixed-term contracts.
- Joint liability of the client in accidents at work: we want to eliminate the rules that exclude the joint and several liability of the client, the contractor and the subcontractor for accidents suffered by employees of contracting or subcontracting companies.
The promoters of the referendum on citizenship in the streets to collect signatures. (Handle)
Citizenship law
The fifth referendum concerns the law on citizenship for non-EU citizens. The proponents ask to halve the period of continuous legal residence necessary to apply for Italian citizenship, reducing it from 10 to 5 years. Change that aims to make it easier for immigrants to become Italian citizens and participate in the political and social life of the country.
Furthermore, once citizenship is obtained, this would automatically be passed on to the minor children of foreigners. This proposal is based on the concept of “temperate ius soli”which allows children born in Italy to foreign parents to obtain citizenship if they have attended at least five years of school in the country. If approved, there would be approximately 2.5 million foreign residents to be able to benefit from it.
Referendum dates
The precise date of the vote is yet to be determined, but will be set on a Sunday between 15 April and 15 June 2025. The Government will have to choose the official date after the publication of the sentences of the Constitutional Court. Among the main problems and main fears there is, as always, reaching the quorum necessary for the referendum to be valid, that is, half of those entitled to vote, plus one, must vote. This will represent a challenge, even more than other times, given the era in which abstentionism reaches dangerous heights for democracy. The issues at stake, however, are very relevant, and everything will depend on how much and how the referendum campaign takes place will be able to inform the electorate so that massive participation can be guaranteed.
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