Italy's citizenship referendum fails due to low turnout

A referendum in Italy to ease citizenship rules and strengthen labor laws has failed due to low voter turnout, achieving only 30% participation—well below the required 50%. Sponsored by a grassroots campaign and backed by the center-left Democratic Party, the proposal aimed to reduce the citizenship application period from 10 years to 5. However, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing coalition urged a boycott, leading to the low turnout. CGIL leader Maurizio Landini called it a sign of a "clear democratic crisis." The outcome strengthens Meloni’s position while highlighting the Democratic Party's decline.