(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 15 - The Constitutional Court on Tuesday
started to evaluate the admissibility of petitions to hold eight
referendums.
Six of the possible referendums regard the justice system, while
one is about legalising euthanasia and another is about
decriminalizing cannabis growing.
The justice measures include a referendum on abolishing the
so-called Severino law that stops people definitively convicted
of several serious crimes, including corruption, from being able
to stand in European, national and regional elections for six
years, and suspends local politicians after first-instance
convictions for some felonies.
This referendum was proposed by the League and Radicali parties.
Ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi was ejected from the Senate in 2013
and was banned from running in elections for several years under
the Severino law after being convicted in a tax-fraud case.
Another referendum is about stopping prosecutors changing
careers to become judges and vice-versa.
There is also one that would make judges and magistrates
responsible in civil courts for the mistakes they make, rather
than the State.
If the referendums are admitted by the Constitutional Court,
they should take place in April or May. (ANSA).