In the first nationwide vote on nuclear power since the Fukushima disaster, Italians have voted to shelve any nuclear energy plans indefinitely.
57% of eligible voters participated in Sunday and Monday’s referendums, exceeding the required 50%. Italians overwhelmingly rejected all four proposals: one for nuclear energy, two regarding water privatization and one that would allow politicians to postpone court appearances due to government office obligations.
The defeat is the most recent setback for prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who recently faced major losses in regional elections.
The premier welcomed the referendum results in a written statement and vowed to re-focus Italy’s power strategy on renewable sources of energy.
Despite this apparent openness to change, opposition leaders are calling for the prime minister to resign, citing the referendum results as evidence of a political crisis.
With profiles detailing Berlusconi’s sordid political and personal dealings, as well as headlines such as “Berlusconi: The Man Who Screwed an Entire Country” in the international press, the embattled Italian premier is faced with mounting dissent at home and abroad.
