Two Italian opposition parties on Wednesday lodged an appeal against the "deceptive" wording of the question being put to voters in a 4 December referendum on reforming Italy's political machinery.
The grassroots Five-Star Movement and the Italian Left party filed the appeal to an regional court saying the constitutional reforms referendum question is "an advertisement as suggestive as it is incomplete and deceptive".
The question "favoured a government that took the initiative of the reform and now improperly asks confirmation from citizens, who do not deserve to be deceived in such a blatant way," the said the appeal filed to the Lazio regional administrative court (TAR).
Centre-left premier Matteo Renzi has staked his political credibility on the reforms, which aim to save money and simplify law-making by reducing the role of parliament's upper house Senate and reining in the powers of regional governments.
The reforms include turning the Senate into a leaner assembly of local-government representatives with limited powers and streamlining Italy's creaking legislative process.
Critics say that, coupled with an electoral law that grants election winners a safe majority in parliament, the constitutional reforms excessively strengthen the executive and undermine democratic checks and balances.
Opponents also claim the reform is badly written and will complicate, rather than making it easier to pass legislation and that law-making could become costlier even slower as a result.
All opposition groups, the country's largest trade union and a minority of Renzi's ruling Democratic Party are against the reforms package.
The reforms have already been approved by parliament but Italy's constitution requires the government to put them to the electorate in a plebiscite.
Opinion polls have suggested the outcome of the referendum will be a close call.
