Nearly 80% of magistrates
participated in a strike on Thursday called by the judiciary's
union, the National Association of Magistrates (ANM), to protest
against a Constitutional reform bill to separate the career
paths of judges and prosecutors, said the secretary general of
ANM Rocco Maruotti.
Meanwhile multiple sources have told ANSA that the government is
"open to dialogue" with members of the judiciary, following a
cabinet meeting at Palazzo Chigi on Thursday morning.
The meeting lasted just over one hour.
Premier Giorgia Meloni on March 5 is set to meet with the
leaders of the National Association of Magistrates.
ANM has long criticized the Constitutional reform bill, drafted
by Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, saying it will weaken the
judiciary and is aimed at placing State attorneys under the
executive's control.
Nordio has repeatedly rejected such a claim.
The Constitutional reform bill - which has received the first of
at least four parliamentary votes necessary for its approval -
also creates a high court to discipline members of the judiciary
and changes the make-up of the judiciary's self-governing body,
the CSM, overhauling the way CSM justices are elected, using a
draw process.
Government sources also said Thursday that Meloni will meet with
representatives of Italy's criminal lawyers association before
seeing ANM members.
The cabinet meeting on Thursday was aimed at "preparing the
consultations already planned" with the two organizations next
Wednesday, they said.
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