# 1981 Italian referendums > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/1981_Italian_referendums > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/1981_Italian_referendums.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Italian_referendums > Source revision: 1311108026 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Part of the Politics series Politics of Italy Constitution Constitutional laws Lateran Treaty Head of state President (list) Sergio Mattarella Executive Prime Minister (list) Giorgia Meloni Council of Ministers Current Cabinet Undersecretaries Ministries Legislature Parliament (list) Senate of the Republic Chamber of Deputies Judiciary Constitutional Court Supreme Court of Cassation Court of Assizes Code of Criminal Procedure Constitutional institutions National Council for Economics and Labour Council of State Court of Audit High Council of the Judiciary High Council of Defence Constituent entities Regions Aosta Valley Piedmont Lombardy Veneto Trentino-South Tyrol Friuli-Venezia Giulia Emilia-Romagna Liguria Tuscany Umbria Marche Molise Lazio Abruzzo Campania Apulia Basilicata Calabria Sicily Sardinia Provinces Municipalities Elections, referendums Recent general elections 2006 2008 2013 2018 2022 Recent referendums 2005 (fertility law) 2006 (Constitution) 2009 (electoral law) 2011 (multiple issues) April 2016 (oil drilling) December 2016 (Constitution) 2020 (Constitution) 2022 (multiple issues) 2025 2026 (Constitution) Constituencies Foreign relations United Nations OSCE NATO Council of Europe European Union Related topics Government (Technocratic) Taxation Gazzetta Ufficiale (government journal) Politics portal v t e A five-part referendum was held in [Italy](/source/Italy) on 17 and 18 May 1981.[1][2] The proposals included repealing laws on public order, life sentences, gun licences, and abortion. All were rejected by voters, with no proposal receiving more than 32% of the vote.[3] ## Abortion abrogative referendums Two referendums were held on the new *Law 194*, which had legalized abortion. The first referendum was called by the [Radical Party](/source/Radical_Party_(Italy)), which asked more liberalization abolishing all the remaining limits to the free choice of the women. The second was called by [Christian Democracy](/source/Italian_Christian_Democracy) and the [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church) and its related movements for life, trying to restore the ban on abortion. ### Results #### Liberalising abortion laws Choice Votes % Yes 3,588,995 11.6 N No 27,395,909 88.4 Invalid/blank votes 3,285,296 – Total 34,270,200 100 Registered voters/turnout 43,154,682 79.4 Source: Nohlen & Stöver #### Prohibiting abortion Choice Votes % Yes 10,119,797 32.0 N No 21,505,323 68.0 Invalid/blank votes 2,651,999 – Total 34,277,119 100 Registered voters/turnout 43,154,682 79.4 Source: Nohlen & Stöver Although both referendums were rejected, and the percentages of support of the Catholic question was higher than the percentages of the Radical one, the result was generally seen as a victory for the Radical Party, which won at least one referendum in a country considered highly influenced by the [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church). The referendum on prohibiting abortion won in one region - [Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol](/source/Trentino-Alto_Adige%2FS%C3%BCdtirol), specifically the [South Tyrol](/source/South_Tyrol)/Bolzano province.[4] ## Police powers abrogative referendum A third referendum was held on repealing the *Reale Law*, which had been the subject of a [referendum in 1978](/source/1978_Italian_referendums). The referendum was called by the [Radical Party](/source/Radical_Party_(Italy)), but was only partially supported by the [Italian Socialist Party](/source/Italian_Socialist_Party). ### Results Choice Votes % Yes 4,636,809 14.9 N No 26,524,667 85.1 Invalid/blank votes 3,095,721 – Total 34,257,197 100 Registered voters/turnout 43,154,682 79.4 Source: Nohlen & Stöver The referendum was rejected by the Italian electors, following the positions of all the parties of the so-called [Constitutional Arch](/source/Constitutional_Arch). ## Life imprisonment abrogative referendum A fourth referendum was called by the [Radical Party](/source/Radical_Party_(Italy)) asking voters to reject [life imprisonment](/source/Life_imprisonment) as the highest level of punishment for crimes.[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] ### Results Choice Votes % Yes 7,114,719 22.6 N No 24,330,954 77.4 Invalid/blank votes 2,831,521 – Total 34,277,194 100 Registered voters/turnout 43,154,682 79.4 Source: Nohlen & Stöver ## Gun licence abrogative referendum The last referendum was called by the [Radical Party](/source/Radical_Party_(Italy)) asking voters to repeal the law on licences to guns, allowing the [police](/source/Police) to give weapons to some high-risking citizens, thereby banning all citizens from owning guns. ### Results Choice Votes % Yes 4,423,426 14.1 N No 26,995,173 85.9 Invalid/blank votes 2,856,777 – Total 34,275,376 100 Registered voters/turnout 43,154,682 79.6 Source: Nohlen & Stöver ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-NS_1-0)** [Dieter Nohlen](/source/Dieter_Nohlen) & Philip Stöver (2010) *Elections in Europe: A data handbook*, p1048 [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-8329-5609-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-8329-5609-7) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Bardi, Luciano (1981). ["Italy says 'no': The referendums of may 1981"](https://doi.org/10.1080/01402388108424337). *West European Politics*. **4** (3): 282–285. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/01402388108424337](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F01402388108424337). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0140-2382](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0140-2382). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Nohlen & Stöver, pp1056-1057 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Referendum 17/05/1981 Area ITALIA Regione TRENTINO-ALTO ADIGE Provincia BOLZANO"](https://elezionistorico.interno.gov.it/index.php?tpel=F&dtel=17/05/1981&tpa=I&tpe=P&lev0=0&levsut0=0&lev1=4&levsut1=1&lev2=14&levsut2=2&ne1=4&ne2=14&es0=S&es1=S&es2=S&es3=N&ms=S&ne3=0). *Eligendo Archivio - Ministero dell'Interno DAIT*. v t e Elections and referendums in Italy General 1861 1865 1867 1870 1874 1876 1880 1882 1886 1890 1892 1895 1897 1900 1904 1909 1913 1919 1921 1924 1929 1934 1946 1948 1953 1958 1963 1968 1972 1976 1979 1983 1987 1992 1994 1996 2001 2006 2008 2013 2018 2022 Next European 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019 2024 Regional 1947 1949 1951 1953 1954 1955 1957 1959 1961 1963 1964 1965 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1973 1974 1975 1976 1978 1979 1980 1981 1983 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1993 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Local 1946 1947 1948 1949 1951 1952 1953 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Referendums 1946 1974 1978 1981 1985 1987 1989 1990 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2000 2001 2003 2005 2006 2009 2011 2016 (Apr) 2016 (Dec) 2020 2022 2025 2026 By-elections 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2026 See also: Elections in Abruzzo Aosta Valley Apulia Basilicata Calabria Campania Emilia-Romagna Friuli-Venezia Giulia Lazio Liguria Lombardy Marche Molise Piedmont Sardinia Sicily Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol Tuscany Umbria Veneto --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [1981 Italian referendums](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Italian_referendums) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Italian_referendums?action=history)). 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