Italy Votes ‘No’: Analyzing the Referendum
December 05, 2016 at 08:00 AM EST
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has failed to convince his fellow citizens to vote in favor of constitutional reform, throwing the country into uncertainty. Early into the night of December 4, 2016 – as it was already clear he had been defeated with 60% of the vote against change – Renzi said he will resign from the post, just as he had promised. The unfavorable result was largely expected by pundits, with many polls having had the ‘No’ campaign as a clear winner. However, Renzi was optimistic that the mood had changed right before the vote took place. It appeared that his only hope to win was a low turnout, but Italians cast their ballot en masse.