April 9, 2025 – Rome, Italy – The Italian Constitutional Court (Consulta) delivered a decisive blow today to Vincenzo De Luca, the fiery governor of the Campania Region, declaring the region’s controversial third-term law unconstitutional. The ruling obliterates De Luca’s bid for a third consecutive term as president of the regional giunta, ending months of legal wrangling and political maneuvering. In a defiant response, De Luca dismissed the verdict as a “wrapped thesis accepted,” slamming it as a flimsy, preordained conclusion that undermines regional autonomy and democratic principles.
The law in question, Campania’s Regional Law No. 16 of 2024, passed on November 5, 2024, with 33 votes in favor, 16 against, and one abstention, sought to reset the clock on term limits. It stipulated that “the computation of mandates begins from the one in progress at the date of entry into force of this law,” effectively allowing De Luca—who has helmed Campania since 2015—to run again in the upcoming spring elections. The measure, backed by De Luca’s center-left coalition, defied a national statute, Law No. 165 of 2004, which caps regional governors at two consecutive terms. Critics, including the national government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, cried foul, arguing it flouted constitutional norms.
The Consulta’s verdict, announced after a nearly four-hour deliberation, hinges on Article 122, Paragraph 1 of the Italian Constitution, which grants regions electoral autonomy but only within the “fundamental principles established by the laws of the Republic.” The court found that Campania’s law violated this by nullifying the two-term limit for the next election cycle—a limit the Consulta deems operative across all ordinary regions since they adopted direct presidential elections. “The principle of democratic alternation requires a physiological renewal of leadership,” stated Avvocato dello Stato Eugenio De Bonis during the hearing, a view the court upheld.
De Luca, never one to mince words, erupted in response. “This is a strampalata [absurd] thesis, concocted in the courtroom, that would horrify any serious constitutional scholar,” he fumed at a Naples press conference. “They’ll have to erase ‘the law is equal for all’ from every courthouse in Italy.” His quip about a “wrapped thesis accepted” suggests he sees the ruling as a foregone conclusion, possibly swayed by political pressure from Rome—namely Meloni and Democratic Party (PD) leader Elly Schlein, both of whom opposed his third-term bid. Schlein, despite PD roots in Campania’s coalition, had vowed not to back De Luca, aligning with national law over regional loyalty.
The backstory is thick with tension. De Luca’s allies argued the national two-term cap needed explicit regional adoption, citing autonomy under Article 117. Their legal team, led by Giandomenico Falcon, insisted a constitutional amendment—not a mere statute—was required to enforce such a “guillotine” on mandates. “The state overstepped; this is about regional governance forms,” Falcon argued. The government countered that Law 165/2004’s intent was clear and binding, a stance bolstered when it filed its challenge in late 2024.
The ripple effects are seismic. In Campania, the ruling throws the spring 2025 elections into chaos, with De Luca’s succession unclear. The center-right, led by Fratelli d’Italia’s Domenico Matera, hailed it as “a victory for democracy,” signaling a fierce campaign to unseat the PD’s decade-long grip. Nationally, it clips the wings of other governors eyeing third terms, like Veneto’s Luca Zaia, whose own ambitions now face the same legal wall—though special-statute regions like Trentino remain outliers.
For De Luca, a political titan known for fiery tirades and pandemic-era bravado (once threatening to deploy “flamethrowers” on lockdown breakers), this marks the end of an era. His “wrapped thesis” barb may rally his base, but it can’t rewrite the Consulta’s ink. As Italy navigates Trump’s tariff storm abroad, Campania braces for a stormy transition at home.
