Italians Vote on Five Referendums
Italians voted on a series of referendums regarding labor law reforms and speeding up the naturalization process on Sunday and Monday.
Polling stations opened on Sunday at 7:00 AM (5:00 AM GMT), with results expected after the closure of polling stations on Monday at 3:00 PM.
Most measures focus on labor law, including better protection against wrongful dismissal, increased severance pay, converting fixed-term contracts into permanent ones, and accountability in case of workplace accidents.
The fifth referendum relates to expediting the naturalization process, allowing non-European Union citizens to obtain citizenship after five years of residency in Italy, whereas they currently must wait at least ten years to submit their applications.
More than 51 million people are eligible to vote in the referendums; however, the results of such referendums are only binding if at least half of all eligible voters participate.
Many of the 78 referendums that have been held in Italy to date have failed due to low voter turnout.
