ROME (AP) 鈥� Thousands of people protested Saturday against wars in the and judicial reforms proposed by Italy鈥檚 conservative government 鈥� linking international tensions with a growing domestic political battle before a national referendum.
The March 22鈥�23 referendum on changes to the judicial system has become a major political test for Prime Minister , which faces an election next year. The debate over legal reforms has escalated into a broader confrontation between the prime minister and her political opponents.
In central Rome, protesters waving red trade union banners and Palestinian and Cuban flags chanted 鈥淢eloni government, resign鈥� before the rally ended peacefully.
鈥淭he United States and Israel are destroying any form of coexistence dictated by international law,鈥� demonstrator Sandra Paganini said.
鈥淭hey are dragging us towards a world war in which they are targeting completely innocent people who have done nothing wrong, intervening and destroying nations,鈥� she said.
Meloni said that the reforms are needed to tackle chronic delays in Italy鈥檚 courts and restore public confidence in the legal system. But opponents argue that the changes could weaken judicial independence and make judges subject to political influence.
The referendum has increasingly taken on the character of a political test for the prime minister. Meloni joined the campaign directly this week.
鈥淚f justice doesn鈥檛 work, if it鈥檚 slow, if it鈥檚 inefficient, if it鈥檚 unfair, then the whole machine gets stuck and everyone pays the consequences,鈥� Meloni said at a campaign speech in Milan on Thursday.
Anti-war protests have surged since the launch on Feb. 28 of large-scale U.S. and Israeli air attacks on Iran targeting military sites and senior leaders, and triggering retaliatory strikes that have shaken global markets.
Demonstrations also took place across on Saturday, where rallies were organized in dozens of cities by a coalition of civic groups calling for an end to the conflict in the Middle East. In Madrid, thousands chanted slogans against the war and expressed solidarity with civilians affected by the conflict.
Additional protests took place earlier this week in Athens and other cities across .
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Derek Gatopoulos reported from Athens, Greece.
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