Italy debates nuclear power referendum as government pushes new plants

Minister Luca Ciriani, responsible for parliamentary relations in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s cabinet, said a referendum on re‑introducing nuclear power in Italy would be "inevitable" after the government announced plans to pass a delegation law by the end of summer. The law would aim to permit the construction of new‑generation nuclear reactors, citing examples such as France, and is presented as a way to lower electricity costs and diversify the energy mix.

The proposal has triggered sharp criticism from opposition parties—including the Democratic Party, the Five Star Movement and centrist groups—who argue the government should focus on renewable sources and highlight the lack of a national repository for radioactive waste and unfinished decommissioning of older plants. After Ciriani’s remarks sparked controversy, his staff clarified that the referendum comment was a hypothetical scenario rather than an official policy decision. The debate unfolds ahead of upcoming elections, with energy costs and climate commitments at stake.