Italians vote on oil and gas as scandal ups pressure on Renzi

Italians were voting in a referendum on Sunday on oil and gas drilling concessions which brings to a peak a heated debate fraught with risk for Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and fuelled by anger over a government corruption scandal.

Campaigning has pitted environmentalists against the government and big business.

Italians are to decide whether they want to repeal a law, passed in January, that says existing concessions within 19 kilometres of the coast should remain valid until the fields are depleted, infuriating campaigners for renewable energy.

Renzi’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD), keen to be seen as pro-business, has called on Italians not to vote in the hope the quorum will not be met — sparking a backlash from opposition parties and deepening a split within his own camp. 

Under Italy’s referendum rules, the outcome of a popular vote is only valid if at least 50 per cent of the registered electorate cast ballots.

Environmentalists claim platforms near the shore present risks to health and protected habitats. They insist a “Yes” to reversing the law would send a clear signal the country wants to go green and put a stop to “dirty deals” which benefit oil companies.

Polling stations opened 7 AM (1030 IST) and are scheduled to close at 11 pm (0630 IST), with nearly 47 million Italians eligible to vote.

“It’s a hoax referendum, they say it’s about renewable energy, but actually it would mean shutting down working rigs with the loss of 11,000 jobs,” Renzi said.