According to the forecasts of the CGIL secretary, Maurizio Landini, the referendums should have made a bang. And the bang was there, but in the opposite direction compared to that desired by the union leader. A participation around 30 percent, accompanied by a significant share of “no”, exceeds all negative expectations for those who had promoted or supported the referendum and instead satisfy those who hoped for their failure.

Referendum, 30.6% of voters, quorum not reached

The first reactions, immediate after closing the polls, featured the political actors, each ready to interpret the results according to their own conveniences. Landini evoked the “crisis of democracy”, but the numbers tell a much clearer reality.

What remains of the wide field

Reading the vote is divided into two distinct floors. The first is of a general nature, concerning the fate of the so -called “Largo Campo”. The forces of this area, which aspire to represent an alternative majority to that of Giorgia Meloni, are now dealing with a consent stopped around 26-27 percent of those entitled, about 12 million voters. These data, similar to the result of the 2022 policies, indicate evident difficulties in mobilizing consensus outside the perimeter already known, confirming a certain distance of the main union, the CGIL, from the moods prevalent in the country.

“15 million people, this is a starting point that strengthens, it is not the only opinion of the 5 million subscribers to the CGIL”

Maurizio Landini

The second level of analysis concerns the internal situation to the Democratic Party. The choice of secretary Elly Schlein to move the party to more radical positions, also supporting referendum against laws approved by the dem, appears weakened by the vote. This turning point, consistent with the CGIL line, now risks reopening the tensions with the internal reformist minority and poses significant questions about the future political strategy of the party.

The no to short citizenship

Finally, a further relevant indication emerges from the differentiated results between the questions. If on the referendum related to work, the “no” remained stable around 12 percent, a significant 40 percent of votes against the citizens has recorded on the theme of citizens. This figure clearly signals that even among the left voters there is a clear majority in favor of a clear opening in terms of immigration and reception.

A reality that Pd and allies will have to carefully evaluate to recover ground towards the Meloni government, which evidently still manages to intercept widespread feelings in the country, despite the criticisms on its political choices.