Italy’s debate over justice reform has taken a sharper turn after former anti-corruption prosecutor and ex-cabinet minister Antonio Di Pietro warned of potential fraud in the overseas vote ahead of a looming constitutional referendum.
Speaking in Naples at a conference organised by the pro-referendum Sì Separa committee of the Luigi Einaudi Foundation, Di Pietro raised concerns about how Italians living abroad cast their ballots—claims that have reignited a long-simmering controversy over the country’s external voting system.
At the heart of the referendum is the proposed separation of careers between judges and prosecutors, a reform supporters argue would strengthen judicial impartiality. While the Council of Ministers has yet to formally set the date, Palazzo Chigi is reportedly considering two possible weekends—15 or 22 March—with voting spread over Sunday and Monday. Political tensions are already high, with opponents launching a fresh signature drive widely interpreted as an attempt to delay the vote.
Against this backdrop, Di Pietro’s intervention has shifted attention to the overseas electorate. According to the former magistrate, organised groups linked to political parties, trade unions and patronage networks are allegedly positioning themselves to “control” the vote of Italians abroad, particularly those registered with AIRE, the official registry of citizens residing overseas.
“As has already happened in the past,” Di Pietro said, “these organisations obtain voters’ details, prepare the ballots and send them back already filled in—often without the voter’s knowledge.” While overseas votes may carry limited weight in general elections, he argued, they could prove decisive in a referendum without a turnout quorum. Di Pietro warned that between 1.5 and two million votes could be affected, potentially distorting the outcome. His remarks have resonated strongly among Italians abroad, especially in countries such as Australia, Argentina and Canada, where postal voting has long been criticised for delays, missing ballots and alleged irregularities.
Significantly, Di Pietro’s warning coincides with parliamentary action. An order of the day presented by Brothers of Italy MP Andrea Di Giuseppe—elected in the North and Central America constituency—has been approved by the Chamber of Deputies, committing the government to reform overseas voting procedures for the referendum. The measure calls for in-person voting at embassies and consulates, following the model already used for European Parliament elections. The initiative has received cross-party backing within the governing majority, including from Forza Italia’s Giorgio Mulè.
Supporters of the change argue that postal voting is not only vulnerable to abuse—through alleged vote-rackets, fake ballots and the controversial role of some patronati—but also costly, with estimates placing the expense at close to €100 million. Critics on the left, who traditionally perform strongly among overseas voters, have already accused the government of attempting a political “power grab”.
Whether Di Pietro’s alarm and the parliamentary vote will translate into concrete legislative action in time for the referendum remains uncertain.
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