the deputy Fabio Porta, from the Democratic Party and elected by the South American constituency, submitted a formal complaint to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denouncing an alleged case of referendum propaganda involving the COMITES of Rosario, Argentina.
According to the parliamentarian, several complaints were received alleging that official channels of COMMITTEES They allegedly released an image of a ballot with an "X" marked next to the "YES" option.
According to Porta, the publication could violate the duty of impartiality and neutrality that guides the organizations representing Italians abroad.
Request for investigation from the government
In the interpellation presented to the Italian government, the deputy requests urgent investigations into the case.
Porta requests that diplomatic and consular authorities investigate the facts. If the irregularity is confirmed, the parliamentarian asks for an assessment of possible sanctions.
Among the measures mentioned are the suspension or even the loss of office of those responsible for the bodies involved.
Constitutional referendum in March
The case occurs in the context of the constitutional referendum scheduled for March 22 and 23, 2026 in Italy.
The query concerns the rules of the Italian justice system. Currently, judges and prosecutors are part of the same career path within the judiciary.
The referendum question is whether this model should be modified or maintained.
If the voter votes YESThis means that you agree with changes to some current rules of the Justice system.
If you vote NOThis means that they prefer to keep the system as it works today.
Vote of Italians abroad
Italians living outside of Italy also participate in the voting.
In these cases, voting is done by mail. Ballots are sent to the voter's registered address at the consulates.
Statement by the deputy
The COMITES are bodies that represent Italian communities residing abroad and, for that reason, must maintain institutional action based on neutrality.
Commenting on the case, Porta stated:
"Democracy is also defended by ensuring that the vote of Italians around the world is truly free, informed, and unconditioned by institutions that should represent the entire community, and not just a part of it."
In addition to the case in Rosario, the Italian Embassy in Brasilia also reportedly received complaints related to the activities of COMITES.
Gustavo
March 5, 2026 at 19:28 pm
I will vote NO, because this proposal comes from the Government that has closed the door to descendants living outside of Italy. So, if you are seeking Italian citizenship and are facing a major problem due to the recent changes to the 2025 Law, you should pay attention and vote NO because this change will lead to a greater concentration of cases in the Judiciary that will judge your case in the future.