(ANSA) - Rome, November 10 - Two petitions against the wording of the question for the December 4 referendum on the government's Constitutional reform were rejected by a Milan court on Thursday. The petitions were filed by Valerio Onida, the former head of Italy's Constitutional Court, and a group of lawyers. A similar petition filed by the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the Italian Left (SI) party was recently rejected by the Lazio Regional Administrative Court (TAR).
M5S and SI said the wording of the question favoured a Yes vote.
The TAR said it had ruled that petition inadmissible because the question was drafted by independent bodies. It said the central referendum body that prepared the question and the presidential decree with which it was adopted stemmed from watchdog bodies "characterised by absolute neutrality". It added that this made them exempt from being examined under its jurisdiction.
Premier Matteo Renzi has said that next month's referendum on his government's Constitutional reform will not be like the Brexit or Donald Trumps shock victory in the United States presidential election.
Renzi had said he would quit if he loses the vote but he has recently played this down, saying it was wrong to personalise the referendum.
"The December 4 referendum will not be Italy's equivalent of the Brexit or Donald Trump's victory," Renzi said in a Facebook dialogue with the public. The reform amends the Italian Constitution and, among other things, turns the Senate into a leaner assembly of local government representatives with limited powers.
It is aimed at saving money and making it easier to pass legislation.
Almost all of the opposition and a rebel minority within Renzi's own centre-left Democratic Party (PD) are backing the No campaign. Renzi said voting in favour would be a vote against "the old guard" of Italian politics which failed in the past and is united against the reform "only by hate" towards him and his government.
The PD rebels said they cannot back the reform unless the Italicum election law is changed to ensure the local-government representatives who will make up the revamped Upper House are elected directly by voters.
Renzi said he has taken away their "alibi" to not support the reform by pledging to change the Italicum.
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