When Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called for a referendum on the future of the two-house system in Italy’s parliament, he was confident of victory.

Italian legislative decisions are notoriously slow, bills have to be ratified by both chambers to become law, and Mr Renzi said the move would streamline governmental processes.

But a few days ahead of the vote his job is on the line.

Instead of seeing the referendum merely as a public vote on the mechanics of government, most Italians feel the prime minister’s involvement has made it into a vote of confidence in the prime minister himself.

If Italy votes against the reforms, Mr Renzi is expected to resign, or at least forced out.

The result is highly uncertain, with final polls ahead of Sunday’s vote showing about a quarter of Italians remain undecided. Nonetheless, the No vote against Mr Renzi’s reforms has consistently held a small but convincing lead.

However, a glimmer of hope exists for Mr Renzi, and it exists in the shape of Donald Trump.

Since Mr Trump’s shock US election win, many Italians have reportedly become increasingly concerned about a shift to the far-right.

In Italy, two populist parties have opposed the Prime Minister’s proposed reforms.

These are the Five Star Movement (M5S) and the Northern League.

Both oppose the Euro, and since the Brexit vote in the UK, Euroscepticism in Italy has surged.

A convincing win for the No vote could be enough to prompt an election, in which M5S would be expected to do well.

But since Mr Trump’s victory, Italians are rethinking whether they want to vote in line with these parties.

Dr Paola Subacchi, the director of the International Economics Department at Chatham House, told The Independent: “People want to avoid the Trump effect in Italy. They are very concerned that the No voters include people like Five Stars Movement and the Northern league - lots of populists. They are both anti- Euro.

“They are both doing well at the moment, but there are people who were thinking of voting No at the referendum, who might change [their minds], because they do not like the groups and do not want to somehow legitimise these groups.”

She added: “People are not being asked whether to leave the EU or whether or not to leave the Euro or whether or not to have a far-right president with a lot of unpleasant features.

In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy Show all 13 1 /13 In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy Fractures on a road in Norcia after the strong earthquake in central Italy EPA/Matteo Crocchioni In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy The bell tower of St. Augustine's church destroyed after the strong earthquake in central Italy, Amatrice EPA/Massimo Percossi In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy Nuns rest on a bench after been evacuated from their monastery following an earthquake in Norcia, Italy REUTERS/Remo Casilli In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy The church of the Madonna of the Angels is seen partially collapsed following an earthquake along the road to Norcia, Italy Reuters In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy A powerful earthquake rocked the same area of central and southern Italy in August and a pair of aftershocks last week, sending already quake-damaged buildings crumbling after a week of tremors that have left thousands homeless Vigili Del Fuoco/Italian Firefighters via AP In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck 6km north of Norcia, Italy, EPA In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck 6km north of Norcia, Italy EPA/Alberto Orsini In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy People are evacuated from an hospital following an earthquake in Rieti, Italy REUTERS/Emiliano Grillotti In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy L'Aquila Mayor Massimo Cialente speaks on his mobile telephone as he checks the damage after the strong earthquake in L'Aquila, central Italy EPA/Alberto Orsini In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy Italian firefighters escort a frightened woman out of a building just as an aftershock rattled Norcia, central Italy AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy A view of Amatrice village completely destroyed after the strong earthquake in central Italy EPA/Massimo Percossi In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy A firefighter and an alpine soldier look at rubble in the hilltop town of Amatrice as an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 struck central Italy Massimo Percossi/ANSA via AP In pictures: Most powerful earthquake for three years hits Italy A handout map released by the US Geological Survey (USGS) shows the location of the earthquake striking around 68km east-southeast of Perugia, Italy EPA