Meloni’s Italy: A Pattern of Controversial Security & Immigration Decrees

Italy’s Government Tightens Grip with New Security and Immigration Measures

Rome – Italy’s conservative government, led by Premier Giorgia Meloni, has approved a series of restrictive security and immigration measures in recent weeks, continuing a pattern established since she took office in October 2022. The government has enacted a series of decrees, often justified by claims of a security emergency, targeting immigrants, NGOs, and activists.

The latest measures include provisions for preventative arrest – detaining individuals suspected of potentially causing disturbances at demonstrations for up to 12 hours. Regarding immigration, a bill currently before Parliament proposes naval blockades – including those targeting rescue ships – lasting between one and six months in situations deemed exceptional by the government, such as periods of high migratory pressure.

The government’s initial move in 2022 involved a decree targeting rave parties. Responding to a large event near Modena attended by 3,000 young people from across Europe, Meloni and her deputy, Matteo Salvini, introduced penalties of three to six years in prison for “invading land or buildings endangering health or public safety.”

These measures are often described as drastic and attention-grabbing, with their effectiveness and practical application remaining uncertain, and frequently facing legal challenges. Legal experts have questioned the feasibility of the naval blockade, citing conflicts with international maritime conventions. However, the government argues these actions have a significant political impact, particularly among its base.

When courts challenge these measures, as occurred with deportations to Albania, Meloni’s government accuses the judiciary of interfering with the popular will. This dynamic is unfolding against a broader conflict with the judiciary, ahead of a planned referendum in March on judicial reform, which legal associations view as an attempt to control the justice system.

In 2023, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi introduced a decree targeting migrant rescue NGOs in the Mediterranean, creating obstacles to their operations. This included requiring ships to return to port after a single rescue and imposing designated landing points, often far from Sicily, increasing fuel costs and travel time.

In March 2023, the so-called “Cutro decree” was enacted in response to a tragedy in Cutro, Calabria, where 94 migrants died in a shipwreck. The decree increased penalties for ship captains, including migrants assigned to steer vessels, potentially facing up to 30 years in prison. It also restricted the right to asylum and made it more difficult to obtain special protection for those in vulnerable situations.

Further restrictions came in October 2023 with another decree on migration flows, including regulations on work permits and controls on aircraft used by rescue organizations, with the threat of blocking their operation. The government has also been modifying the rules surrounding deportations to Albania, responding to court challenges.

Meloni is adept at managing timing and propaganda, often leaving the opposition off balance. The decrees frequently follow events that make it difficult for opponents to criticize them without appearing to support illegal immigration or violence at demonstrations. For example, the security decree followed disturbances at a protest in Turin, where 108 police officers and 45 protesters were injured.

The government’s approach echoes the “emergency legislation” used during the “Years of Lead” in the 1970s, a period of political violence and terrorism. Meloni has invoked this era, suggesting a similar climate of hatred exists in Italy, and has accused the left of fostering this environment.

In January 2024, the government targeted climate activists who damage monuments, introducing penalties of up to €60,000 and five years in prison. In the spring of 2025, a decree further restricted protest rights, criminalizing the obstruction of roads or railways and increasing penalties for resisting law enforcement.

While some measures are blocked by the courts, Meloni’s government often uses these instances to accuse the judiciary of overreach. The government’s actions are occurring as it seeks to reform the judicial system, a move perceived by legal associations as an attempt to exert control over the courts.