Italy's Highest Court Approves Referendum on Constitutional Changes

The Italian Supreme Court of Cassation announced on Monday the approval of a constitutional referendum after validating signatures in a petition calling for a nationwide vote.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper, the number of the signatories on the petition exceeded the 500,000, required by law. Now Rome has 60 days to set a date for the referendum that must be held on a Sunday.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is reportedly planning to hold the vote in the second half of November. Renzi is expected to resign if the public fails to support the reforms.

Renzi and the center-left Democratic Party proposed the referendum to turn the 321-seat upper house of the Italian parliament, the Senate of the Republic, into a 100-member Senate of Regions, in 2014.