Ghostly Protest Interrupts Parliamentary Session
An Italian lawmaker captured international headlines on 14 May by wearing a ghost costume in Parliament, aiming to protest what he described as efforts to stifle democratic engagement.
Riccardo Magi, head of the centrist +Europa party, appeared in the Chamber of Deputies cloaked in a white sheet with eye cutouts and the word “Referendum” emblazoned on the front. The act occurred on Wednesday during Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s scheduled Question Time.
Speaker Lorenzo Fontana abruptly ended the protest by ordering Magi’s removal from the chamber.
Security officers escorted him out as the session continued. Magi aimed to spotlight what he described as a deliberate campaign by the government to suppress turnout for five national referendums scheduled for June 8 and 9.
Opposition Accuses Government of Promoting Abstention
The referendums propose changing Italy’s citizenship laws by reducing the residency requirement for non-EU nationals from 10 years to five and reversing major parts of the 2015 labor reform. For the results to be valid, voter turnout must exceed 50%.
Magi and other opposition figures allege that the right-wing ruling coalition, led by Meloni, is quietly urging voters to abstain. Prominent government figures, including Senate President Ignazio La Russa and Deputy Premiers Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini, have publicly expressed support for abstention. Critics warn that these calls undermine democratic processes and aim to invalidate the referendums by keeping turnout below the threshold.
In short, supporters say the referendums promote inclusion, protect workers, and strengthen democracy. Opponents argue they may weaken national identity, hurt businesses, and risk failure due to low voter turnout.
Referendum Campaign Enters Final Stretch
With just weeks to go before the June referendums, political tensions continue to rise. Civil society groups, trade unions, and opposition parties are campaigning to drive voter turnout past the 50% mark.
Magi, who spearheaded the petition that enabled the citizenship referendum, remains vocal about the importance of public engagement. “These are issues that affect ordinary, law-abiding residents who contribute to our society,” he told reporters. “Discouraging them from voting is not just wrong—it’s dangerous.”
The outcome of the referendums could reshape Italy’s laws on citizenship, labor rights, and democratic participation. Whether Magi’s ghost protest will have a lasting impact remains to be seen.
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