Italy's Tourism Minister Quits Amid Pressure Following Referendum Defeat

LONDON, March 26 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Italy's tourism minister stepped down Wednesday after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly called for her resignation as part of a broader "house cleaning" by the government following a significant political defeat in a judicial reform referendum, Anadolu Ajansi reported, citing a local daily.

"I won't hide a little bitterness about the outcome of my ministerial journey, but in my life, I'm used to paying my own bills and often those of others as well," Daniela Santanche said in her resignation letter to the prime minister, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

According to the report, Meloni is seeking to purge her Brothers of Italy (FdI) party and executive of potentially problematic figures in view of the next general election, with the parliamentary term set to end next year after she suffered her first major setback since becoming prime minister.

With 53.74 per cent voting against the reform proposal backed by Meloni's government, the "No" camp secured approximately 14.4 million votes, more than 2 million ahead of the "Yes" vote, which stood at 46.26 per cent in a controversial constitutional referendum on judicial reform that took place Sunday and Monday.

Following the defeat, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio's Chief of Staff Giusi Bartolozzi and Justice Undersecretary Andrea Delmastro Delle Vedove both resigned Tuesday.

In a video shared on social media following the results, Meloni acknowledged the outcome, calling it "a missed opportunity" while reaffirming her government’s commitment to continuing its agenda.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU