Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi bet it all on Sunday's referendum, and he may well lose

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's job is on the line Sunday
(Image credit: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images)

This year has been an unsteady one for popular referenda and a good one for populism — votes in favor of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, against a Colombian deal to end the FARC civil war, and the election of Donald Trump all defied expectations and the advice of civic leaders and most experts. On Sunday, Italy has its own big referendum, and it could go very badly for the government of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, whose proposals are on the table. He has pledged to resign if Italy votes "no."

The most recent polls suggest Italy may well reject the changes, which overhaul the legislature in an attempt to streamline the government and make it easier to pass legislation. The "no" side leads by as much as 8 percentage points, but 20 percent of Italians are undecided. Renzi's changes would reduce the size of the Senate to 100 seats, from 315, and turn it largely into a consultative body, taking away its power to topple governments with a no-confidence vote. The central government would also assume some of the overlapping powers also claimed by regional governments.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.