Anti-war protests in Italy and Spain as high-stakes referendum on Italian judges looms

ROME (AP) — Thousands of people protested Saturday against wars in the Middle East and judicial reforms proposed by Italy’s conservative government — linking international tensions with a growing domestic political battle before a national referendum.

The March 22–23 referendum on changes to the judicial system has become a major political test for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, which faces an election next year. The debate over legal reforms has escalated into a broader confrontation between the prime minister and her political opponents.

In central Rome, protesters waving red trade union banners and Palestinian and Cuban flags chanted “Meloni government, resign” before the rally ended peacefully.

“The United States and Israel are destroying any form of coexistence dictated by international law,” demonstrator Sandra Paganini said.

“They are dragging us towards a world war in which they are targeting completely innocent people who have done nothing wrong, intervening and destroying nations,” she said.

Meloni said that the reforms are needed to tackle chronic delays in Italy’s courts and restore public confidence in the legal system. But opponents argue that the changes could weaken judicial independence and make judges subject to political influence.

                        Related Stories
                    
                

        
    
    
    
    







    
        

                
                    



    
        


  




    




    




    




    




    




    




    




    



    




    
    
    
    

    

    





    
        

            
            
            EU leaders ready countermeasures to pressure from Russia, China and Trump
        

    

  

    

    
    








    

        4 MIN READ
    









  

    

    

    

    

    




                
            

    
        

                
                    



    
        


  




    




    




    




    




    




    




    




    



    




    
    
    
    

    

    





    
        

            
            
            Italy approves new migration bill including powers to impose ‘naval blockades’ on migrant ships
        

    

  

    

    
    








    

        2 MIN READ
    









  

    

    

    

    

    




                
            

    
        

                
                    



    
        


  




    




    




    




    




    




    




    




    



    




    
    
    
    

    

    





    
        

            
            
            Meloni condemns anti-Olympics actions in Milan, calling demonstrators ‘enemies of Italy’
        

    

  

    

    
    








    

        3 MIN READ

The referendum has increasingly taken on the character of a political test for the prime minister. Meloni joined the campaign directly this week.

“If justice doesn’t work, if it’s slow, if it’s inefficient, if it’s unfair, then the whole machine gets stuck and everyone pays the consequences,” Meloni said at a campaign speech in Milan on Thursday.

Anti-war protests have surged since the launch on Feb. 28 of large-scale U.S. and Israeli air attacks on Iran targeting military sites and senior leaders, and triggering retaliatory strikes that have shaken global markets.

Demonstrations also took place across Spain on Saturday, where rallies were organized in dozens of cities by a coalition of civic groups calling for an end to the conflict in the Middle East. In Madrid, thousands chanted slogans against the war and expressed solidarity with civilians affected by the conflict.

Additional protests took place earlier this week in Athens and other cities across Greece.

Derek Gatopoulos reported from Athens, Greece.