1981 Italian referendums

A five-part referendum was held in Italy on 17 May 1981.[1] The proposals included repealing laws on public order, life sentences, gun licences, abortion. All were rejected by voters, with no proposal receiving more than 32% of the vote.[2]

Abortion referendums

Two referendums were held on the new Law 194, which had legalized abortion. The first referendum was called by the Radical Party, which asked more liberalization abolishing all the remaining limits to the free choice of the women. The second was called by Christian Democracy and the Catholic Church and its related movements for life, trying to restore the ban on abortion.

Results

Liberalising abortion laws

Choice	Votes	%
For	3,588,995	11.6
Against	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	%
For	10,119,797	32.0
Against	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.

Police powers referendum

A third referendum was held on repealing the Reale Law, which had been the subject of a referendum in 1978. The referendum was called by the Radical Party, but was only partially supported by the Italian Socialist Party.

Results

Choice	Votes	%
For	4,636,809	14.9
Against	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.

Life imprisonment referendum

A fourth referendum was called by the Radical Party asking voters to reject life imprisonment as the highest level of punishment for crimes.

Results

Choice	Votes	%
For	7,114,719	22.6
Against	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 referendum

The last referendum was called by the Radical Party asking voters to repeal the law on licences to guns, allowing the police to give weapons to some high-risking citizens, thereby banning all citizens from owning guns.

Results

Choice	Votes	%
For	4,423,426	14.1
Against	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

Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1048 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
Nohlen & Stöver, pp1056-1057

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[NS-1] Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1048 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7

[2] Nohlen & Stöver, pp1056-1057

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 Next
European	1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019
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
Local	1914 1920 1922 1923 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
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
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 By-elections