The meeting occurred at the PM’s office at Palazzo Chigi on Wednesday.

Nordio will finalise a draft of the reform bill for approval by the cabinet by early April, the sources added.

The minister has said the controversial planned separation of career paths is a non-negotiable part of a broad justice reform package that also includes the planned reorganisation of the Supreme Council of Magistrates (Csm), the judiciary’s self-governing body.

The Italian magistrate’s union, ANM, has said the move is the thin end of the wedge towards bringing the judiciary under government control, a claim former prosecutor Nordio vehemently denies.

The planned reforms would require a constitutional amendment law.

ANSA