THOUSANDS of people protested in Italy at the weekend against the US-Israeli wars in the Middle East and a government attack on judges’ independence, linking international conflicts with a growing domestic political battle before a national referendum.

The March 22-23 referendum on changes to the judicial system has become a major political test for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government, which faces an election next year.

The debate over the legal shake-up has escalated into a broader confrontation between the prime minister and her political opponents.

On Saturday, protesters in Rome waving red trade union banners and Palestinian and Cuban flags chanted: “Meloni government, resign,” before the rally ended peacefully.

“The United States and Israel are destroying any form of coexistence dictated by international law,” demonstrator Sandra Paganini said.

“They are dragging us towards a world war in which they are targeting completely innocent people who have done nothing wrong, intervening and destroying nations.”

Ms Meloni claimed that the reforms were needed to tackle chronic delays in Italy’s courts and restore public confidence in the legal system.

But opponents warn 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.

Ms Meloni joined the campaign directly this week.

“If justice doesn’t work, if it’s slow, if it’s inefficient, if it’s unfair, then the whole machine gets stuck and everyone pays the consequences,” she said at a campaign speech in Milan on Thursday.

Anti-war protests have surged across Europe since the US and Israel launched their illegal war against Iran three weeks ago, targeting military sites, the country’s senior leaders and its oil industry and triggering retaliatory strikes that have shaken global trade.

Demonstrations also took place across Spain on Saturday, where rallies were organised in dozens of cities by a coalition of civic groups calling for an end to the conflict in the Middle East.

In Madrid, thousands of people protested against the war and expressed solidarity with civilians affected by the conflict.

Anti-war demonstrations also took place earlier last week in Athens and other cities across Greece.