Meloni cleans house after referendum loss

Key Points:

• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is reshuffling her government after a significant defeat in a referendum rejecting her justice reform, which has weakened her leadership and energized the opposition.
• Two senior justice ministry officials resigned following the referendum loss, with a third minister facing fraud charges expected to follow suit, amid allegations of political interference in judicial investigations.
• Justice Undersecretary Andrea Delmastro Delle Vedove resigned after being linked to a Rome mafia clan through a business investment, while Justice Ministry chief of staff Giusi Bartolozzi faces criminal charges related to a controversial cover-up.
• Meloni expressed lost confidence in Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè, who is under trial for alleged fraud, and urged her to resign, though Santanchè has not responded.
• Opposition leaders criticized Meloni for using resignations as scapegoats and called for greater accountability, with some describing the resignations as a "political earthquake" that demands Meloni's explanation in parliament.