Protesters March in Rome Against Meloni Reforms and Middle East War

Thousands of protesters marched through central Rome on Saturday, rallying against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's proposed judicial reforms and the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran, ahead of a national referendum set for March 22 and 23.

The demonstration, which drew a few thousand participants primarily from trade unions, left-wing organizations and student groups, began as a targeted opposition to the government's judicial overhaul. The reforms aim to separate the roles of prosecutors and judges while restructuring their oversight body. Supporters, including Meloni, argue the changes are essential to promote impartiality, address chronic court delays and rebuild public trust in the legal system. "If justice doesn't work, if it's slow, if it's inefficient, if it's unfair, then the whole machine gets stuck and everyone pays the consequences," Meloni said during a campaign speech in Milan on Thursday.

Critics, however, view the measures as an attempt to undermine judicial independence, especially given the government's past criticisms of court rulings against it. The referendum has evolved into a significant political challenge for Meloni's conservative administration, which...