Maurizio Landini, the leader of
Italy's CGIL trade union confederation, said Tuesday that calls
from politicians of the ruling coalition for people not to vote
in five upcoming referendums, so they do not reach quorum, were
dangerous for democracy.
The referendums seek to abolish a series of regulations, four
regarding labour legislation, including three stemming from the
2026 Jobs Act liberalising the labour market, and one on the
rules for non-EU citizens to gain Italian citizenship.
The CGIL campaigned for the referendums on the labour issues.
A yes to the citizenship vote will halve the number of years of
residence in Italy necessary for non-EU citizens to be eligible
to apply for Italian citizenship from 10 to five.
"I find it totally dangerous and wrong to invite people not to
go out and vote," Landini said in Ancona on the sidelines of a
port workers assembly in support of the referendums.
"I think it is a political mistake and it is very serious at the
institutional level, especially since the President (Sergio
Mattarella) on April 25 reminded us that political participation
and voting are the foundations of a country's democracy and
freedom and asked everyone to work to defeat abstentionism.
"We invite people to participate in voting: people's rights are
improved with this vote".
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