"They'll have to find a very large courtroom, for it will be a trial <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-new-migrant-standoff-italys-salvini-blocks-two-ngo-boats-242803">against the Italian people</a>," Salvini, head of the far-right League party, said on Facebook Sunday.

An Italian Senate committee was set to vote Monday on whether former interior minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/interior-minister-matteo-salvini-pulls-support-for-italian-coalition-calls-for-snap-polls-241630">Matteo Salvini</a> should stand trial for allegedly illegally detaining migrants at sea last year.

A tribunal has recommended Salvini stand trial for blocking migrants on a coastguard boat last July. Under Italian law, ministers cannot be tried for actions taken in office unless a parliamentary committee gives the go-ahead.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/italy-rocked-by-anti-salvini-protest-268379">Italy rocked by anti-Salvini protest&nbsp;</a>

Should the committee vote in favour, the trial would proceed and Salvini faces up to 15 years in jail if found guilty. Should it rule against, parliament will be called to give its opinion in a vote likely to be held in February, Italian media said. Salvini had refused to allow 131 rescued migrants off the Gregoretti&nbsp;coastguard boat until a deal was reached with other European states to host them.

<img alt="Salvini" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2dba476b-c4ad-4104-ac4e-efe65a9ee475" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202020-01-20T191146.491.jpg" /> 
[ Matteo Salvini (Courtesy: Reuters) ]

A Catania court accused him of an "abuse of power" in blocking those saved on board from July 27 to July 31. Salvini insists that was not an individual decision, but one backed by the government and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

Prosecutors in Sicily opened a probe into conditions on board the boat, where migrants shared one toilet between them. This is the second time the League leader has risked trial over detaining migrants.

Last year a court ruled that he should be tried for preventing 177 migrants from disembarking the Diciotti coastguard ship, but Italy's senate voted to defend his parliamentary immunity.

Salvini called on League senators Sunday to vote in favour of the trial, "so we can clear this up once and for all".

His opponents have accused him of using the incident to win support ahead of a key regional election by portraying himself as a man hounded by the government and law courts merely for doing his job.

The then-interior minister's "closed ports" policy, aimed at stopping migrant arrivals from war-torn Libya, saw his popularity numbers shoot up.&nbsp;Italy has long complained it has been abandoned by Europe to deal with migrant arrivals alone.

"If I have to go to jail for defending an idea, I'll go with my head held high," Salvini told a rally in the region of Emilia Romagna. The region, a traditional stronghold of the left, goes to the ballots on Sunday, pitting the ruling coalition parties -- the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) -- against the League.

Salvini's anti-immigrant party has a strong lead in national polls and is betting on a victory in Emilia Romagna being damaging enough to collapse the government and spark elections. 
&nbsp;

"They'll have to find a very large courtroom, for it will be a trial against the Italian people," Salvini, head of the far-right League party, said on Facebook Sunday.

"They'll have to find a very large courtroom, for it will be a trial against the Italian people," Salvini, head of the far-right League party, said on Facebook Sunday. An Italian Senate committee was set to vote Monday on whether former interior minister Matteo Salvini should stand trial for allegedly illegally detaining migrants at sea last year. A tribunal has recommended Salvini stand trial for blocking migrants on a coastguard boat last July. Under Italian law, ministers cannot be tried for actions taken in office unless a parliamentary committee gives the go-ahead. Also Read: Italy rocked by anti-Salvini protest Should the committee vote in favour, the trial would proceed and Salvini faces up to 15 years in jail if found guilty. Should it rule against, parliament will be called to give its opinion in a vote likely to be held in February, Italian media said. Salvini had refused to allow 131 rescued migrants off the Gregoretti coastguard boat until a deal was reached with other European states to host them. [ Matteo Salvini (Courtesy: Reuters) ] A Catania court accused him of an "abuse of power" in blocking those saved on board from July 27 to July 31. Salvini insists that was not an individual decision, but one backed by the government and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. Prosecutors in Sicily opened a probe into conditions on board the boat, where migrants shared one toilet between them. This is the second time the League leader has risked trial over detaining migrants. Last year a court ruled that he should be tried for preventing 177 migrants from disembarking the Diciotti coastguard ship, but Italy's senate voted to defend his parliamentary immunity. Salvini called on League senators Sunday to vote in favour of the trial, "so we can clear this up once and for all". His opponents have accused him of using the incident to win support ahead of a key regional election by portraying himself as a man hounded by the government and law courts merely for doing his job. The then-interior minister's "closed ports" policy, aimed at stopping migrant arrivals from war-torn Libya, saw his popularity numbers shoot up. Italy has long complained it has been abandoned by Europe to deal with migrant arrivals alone. "If I have to go to jail for defending an idea, I'll go with my head held high," Salvini told a rally in the region of Emilia Romagna. The region, a traditional stronghold of the left, goes to the ballots on Sunday, pitting the ruling coalition parties -- the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) -- against the League. Salvini's anti-immigrant party has a strong lead in national polls and is betting on a victory in Emilia Romagna being damaging enough to collapse the government and spark elections.

Italy committee to vote on Salvini migrant trial

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Tuesday he was working to prevent two rescue ships operated by French and Spanish charities from bringing more than 500 migrants to Italy in the latest Mediterranean stand-off.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Tuesday he was working to prevent two rescue ships operated by French and Spanish charities from bringing more than 500 migrants to Italy in the latest Mediterranean stand-off. The Ocean Viking, which is run by French non-governmental groups (NGOs) Doctors Without Borders and SOS Mediterranee, has picked up some 356 migrants off the coast of Libya since Friday, while Spanish boat Open Arms has saved some 160 people. Both vessels are in the central Mediterranean, within easy sailing distance of the Italian island of Lampedusa and are seeking a safe port to disembark the mainly African migrants. But Salvini, the leader of the far-right League who has seen his popularity in Italy soar since he took office last year and launched a fierce anti-immigration crackdown, said on Tuesday the boats were not Rome's problem. "I am at work in the ministry this morning to prevent more than 500 migrants from disembarking from two NGO boats, one French and one Spanish," Salvini wrote on Facebook. "I will let you know how this ends. I will not give up." Earlier this month, Salvini introduced a new law hiking fines for ships that enter Italian waters without authorisation to up to 1 million euros ($1.12 million). It also provides for the arrest of captains who ignore orders to stay away and calls on naval authorities to seize their boats automatically. Buoyed by his success in the polls, Salvini is looking to trigger an early election in the autumn by bringing down the Italian government, confident he would emerge as prime minister from any new vote. As such, a high-profile clash with foreign charities will bolster his anti-migrant credentials. UN alarm Salvini said Libya had offered to take back the migrants aboard the Ocean Viking and said Open Arms should go to Spain. Doctors Without Borders has ruled out taking migrants to violence-plagued Libya, saying migrants are routinely tortured and abused there. Open Arms has called for the European Union to coordinate the re-distribution of the migrants around the bloc. The United Nations refugee agency called on European governments to intervene, warning that storms were approaching. "To leave people who have fled war and violence in Libya on the high seas in this weather would be to inflict suffering upon suffering," said Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean. "They must be immediately allowed to dock, and allowed to receive much-needed humanitarian aid." Spain said Italy should deal with immediate care. "International law states that a rescue takes place in the closest safe port. Without a doubt, right now that means Italy. If it was us, we would do it," Spain's acting development minister Jose Luis Abalos told Telecinco television on Tuesday. However, he also said Europe needed to forge a "wider" policy to handle migrant arrivals from Africa. Italy has taken in more than 600,000 boat migrants since 2014, but new arrivals have fallen sharply over the past two years, with the decline accelerating over the past year. Latest figures say 4,265 migrants have reached Italy so far in 2019, down 78 per cent on the same period in 2018 and down 96 per cent on 2017 levels.

In a new migrant standoff, Italy's Salvini blocks two NGO boats

The leader of Italy's ruling League party, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo&nbsp;Salvini, declared the governing coalition to be unworkable on Thursday after months of internal bickering and said the only way forward was to hold fresh elections.

The shock announcement follows a period of intense public feuding between the right-wing League and its coalition partner, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, and it throws the euro zone's third-largest economy into deeper political uncertainty.

Salvini&nbsp;said in a statement he had told Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who belongs to neither coalition party, that the alliance with 5-Star had collapsed after barely a year in power and "we should quickly give the choice back to the voters".

Parliament, which is now in its summer recess, could reconvene next week to carry out the necessary steps,&nbsp;Salvini&nbsp;said, referring to the need for a no-confidence vote in the government and the resignation of the premier.

Conte said later in a brief televised statement that&nbsp;Salvini&nbsp;must explain to Italians why he wanted to bring down the government and that "the crisis he has unleashed" should be the most transparent "in the history of the republic".

Conte said he would no longer accept&nbsp;Salvini's attacks on his ministers and accused him of relying on "slogans".

Until a few weeks ago&nbsp;Salvini&nbsp;had repeatedly said that the government would last a full five-year term, but he brushed off Conte's criticisms and said 5-Star was holding up the policies the country needed to boost its stagnant economy.

"Italy can no longer put up with the no's, we need yes's, we need to unblock, to build, to work -- enough is enough, we must go to elections," he told reporters after a rally in Pescara, on the Adriatic coast.

Tensions came to a head on Wednesday when 5-Star and the League voted against each other in parliament over the future of a project for a high-speed train link with France.

5-Star has more parliamentary seats than the League, but&nbsp;Salvini's party now has twice as much voter support, according to opinion polls, and it has recently threatened to try to capitalise on that surge in popularity with new elections.

However, it remains to be seen if things will go as&nbsp;Salvini&nbsp;plans. Pushing the nation back into election mode in August, when Italians are on holiday and parliament is closed for the summer recess, is unusual and could be unpopular and risky.

President Sergio Mattarella is the only person with the power to dissolve parliament and may be unwilling to do so ahead of preparatory work in September for the 2020 budget, which must then be presented to parliament the following month.

Italy, which has Europe's second-largest sovereign debt burden after Greece, has already angered the European Union with an expansionary 2019 budget and&nbsp;Salvini&nbsp;wants to make major tax cuts next year, setting up the prospect of another EU clash.

Italy has not held an election in the autumn in all the post-war period.

"WE ARE READY"

If Mattarella decides not to dissolve parliament, he could try to install an unelected "technocrat" administration of which there have been several examples in Italy's recent history, though an alternative parliamentary majority appears elusive.

5-Star Leader Luigi Di Maio said his party did not fear elections.

"We are ready, we don't care in the least about occupying government posts and we never have," he said in a statement. He accused Salvini of "taking the country for a ride" and said sooner or later Italians would turn against him for it.

Speculation of a government crisis mounted late on Wednesday when&nbsp;Salvini, speaking at a rally south of Rome, peppered his speech with hints that he had had enough of 5-Star, accusing it of stalling the League's key policies.

Markets sold off Italian government bonds early on Thursday and the day proceeded with closed-door meetings between&nbsp;Salvini&nbsp;and Conte and between Conte and Mattarella.

The League issued a statement listing a raft of areas in which it had a "different vision" from 5-Star, including infrastructure, taxes, justice and relations with the EU.

The two parties were fierce adversaries ahead of an inconclusive election in March 2018, before forming their unlikely alliance which has often ruffled the feathers of financial markets and the European Commission.

5-Star was the largest party at last year's elections but it has struggled since the government was formed, while&nbsp;Salvini&nbsp;has prospered thanks to his popular hard line on immigration and a charismatic and informal "man of the people" public image.

The leader of Italy's ruling League party, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, declared the governing coalition to be unworkable on Thursday after months of internal bickering and said the only way forward was to hold fresh elections.

The leader of Italy's ruling League party, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, declared the governing coalition to be unworkable on Thursday after months of internal bickering and said the only way forward was to hold fresh elections. The shock announcement follows a period of intense public feuding between the right-wing League and its coalition partner, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, and it throws the euro zone's third-largest economy into deeper political uncertainty. Salvini said in a statement he had told Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who belongs to neither coalition party, that the alliance with 5-Star had collapsed after barely a year in power and "we should quickly give the choice back to the voters". Parliament, which is now in its summer recess, could reconvene next week to carry out the necessary steps, Salvini said, referring to the need for a no-confidence vote in the government and the resignation of the premier. Conte said later in a brief televised statement that Salvini must explain to Italians why he wanted to bring down the government and that "the crisis he has unleashed" should be the most transparent "in the history of the republic". Conte said he would no longer accept Salvini's attacks on his ministers and accused him of relying on "slogans". Until a few weeks ago Salvini had repeatedly said that the government would last a full five-year term, but he brushed off Conte's criticisms and said 5-Star was holding up the policies the country needed to boost its stagnant economy. "Italy can no longer put up with the no's, we need yes's, we need to unblock, to build, to work -- enough is enough, we must go to elections," he told reporters after a rally in Pescara, on the Adriatic coast. Tensions came to a head on Wednesday when 5-Star and the League voted against each other in parliament over the future of a project for a high-speed train link with France. 5-Star has more parliamentary seats than the League, but Salvini's party now has twice as much voter support, according to opinion polls, and it has recently threatened to try to capitalise on that surge in popularity with new elections. However, it remains to be seen if things will go as Salvini plans. Pushing the nation back into election mode in August, when Italians are on holiday and parliament is closed for the summer recess, is unusual and could be unpopular and risky. President Sergio Mattarella is the only person with the power to dissolve parliament and may be unwilling to do so ahead of preparatory work in September for the 2020 budget, which must then be presented to parliament the following month. Italy, which has Europe's second-largest sovereign debt burden after Greece, has already angered the European Union with an expansionary 2019 budget and Salvini wants to make major tax cuts next year, setting up the prospect of another EU clash. Italy has not held an election in the autumn in all the post-war period. "WE ARE READY" If Mattarella decides not to dissolve parliament, he could try to install an unelected "technocrat" administration of which there have been several examples in Italy's recent history, though an alternative parliamentary majority appears elusive. 5-Star Leader Luigi Di Maio said his party did not fear elections. "We are ready, we don't care in the least about occupying government posts and we never have," he said in a statement. He accused Salvini of "taking the country for a ride" and said sooner or later Italians would turn against him for it. Speculation of a government crisis mounted late on Wednesday when Salvini, speaking at a rally south of Rome, peppered his speech with hints that he had had enough of 5-Star, accusing it of stalling the League's key policies. Markets sold off Italian government bonds early on Thursday and the day proceeded with closed-door meetings between Salvini and Conte and between Conte and Mattarella. The League issued a statement listing a raft of areas in which it had a "different vision" from 5-Star, including infrastructure, taxes, justice and relations with the EU. The two parties were fierce adversaries ahead of an inconclusive election in March 2018, before forming their unlikely alliance which has often ruffled the feathers of financial markets and the European Commission. 5-Star was the largest party at last year's elections but it has struggled since the government was formed, while Salvini has prospered thanks to his popular hard line on immigration and a charismatic and informal "man of the people" public image.

Italy's Salvini pulls plug on government, calls for elections

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/italys-di-maio-says-government-to-survive-rules-out-alternative-majority-paper-236830">The Italian government</a> on Monday won a confidence vote in the Senate on a decree targeting charities operating migrant rescue ships, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/migrant-rescue-sailboat-defies-italys-salvini-docks-in-italy-233653">in a victory for Interior Minister Matteo Salvini</a> and his far-right League party.

The government of the League and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement has been riven by internal strife in recent weeks but won the vote by 160 to 57.&nbsp;

It would have had to resign had it lost the motion. 
&nbsp; 
The decree drawn up by Salvini, who also serves as deputy prime minister, toughens sanctions on charity ships that seek to bring migrants rescued in the Mediterranean to Italy.

The decree had already been passed by the lower house and so now becomes law just a couple of days before parliament closes on Wednesday for the summer recess.

Some 5-Star politicians have expressed reservations about the decree, and some of its senators did not back it in Monday's vote.&nbsp;

Their defection was compensated by the fact the centre-right opposition party Forza Italia did not take part in the vote, saying they agreed with the aims of the decree.

Confidence votes are often used by Italian governments as a way of speeding legislation through parliament, truncating debate and sweeping away opposition amendments.

The decree hikes maximum fines for ships that enter Italian waters without authorization to 1 million euros ($1.12 million) from a previous 50,000.&nbsp;

It also provides for the arrest of captains who ignore orders to stay away and calls on naval authorities to seize their boats automatically.

Salvini has clashed repeatedly with humanitarian groups that pick up migrants off the coast of Libya to bring them to Italy, preventing them from docking until other EU countries agree to take in most of them.

In June, the German vessel Sea-Watch, captained by Carola Rackete, was seized when it entered the port of Lampedusa without permission.&nbsp;

Rackete was later freed from house arrest, prompting Salvini to denounce the judge who issued the ruling.&nbsp;

Salvini`s popularity has soared on the back of his uncompromising, anti-migrant position.&nbsp;

A poll by the Winpoll agency published on Friday in business daily Il Sole 24 ore put support for the League at 39 per cent, making it easily the country`s most popular party with more than double its share of the vote at last year's parliamentary election.

The Italian government on Monday won a confidence vote in the Senate on a decree targeting charities operating migrant rescue ships, in a victory for Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and his far-right League party.

The Italian government on Monday won a confidence vote in the Senate on a decree targeting charities operating migrant rescue ships, in a victory for Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and his far-right League party. The government of the League and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement has been riven by internal strife in recent weeks but won the vote by 160 to 57. It would have had to resign had it lost the motion. The decree drawn up by Salvini, who also serves as deputy prime minister, toughens sanctions on charity ships that seek to bring migrants rescued in the Mediterranean to Italy. The decree had already been passed by the lower house and so now becomes law just a couple of days before parliament closes on Wednesday for the summer recess. Some 5-Star politicians have expressed reservations about the decree, and some of its senators did not back it in Monday's vote. Their defection was compensated by the fact the centre-right opposition party Forza Italia did not take part in the vote, saying they agreed with the aims of the decree. Confidence votes are often used by Italian governments as a way of speeding legislation through parliament, truncating debate and sweeping away opposition amendments. The decree hikes maximum fines for ships that enter Italian waters without authorization to 1 million euros ($1.12 million) from a previous 50,000. It also provides for the arrest of captains who ignore orders to stay away and calls on naval authorities to seize their boats automatically. Salvini has clashed repeatedly with humanitarian groups that pick up migrants off the coast of Libya to bring them to Italy, preventing them from docking until other EU countries agree to take in most of them. In June, the German vessel Sea-Watch, captained by Carola Rackete, was seized when it entered the port of Lampedusa without permission. Rackete was later freed from house arrest, prompting Salvini to denounce the judge who issued the ruling. Salvini`s popularity has soared on the back of his uncompromising, anti-migrant position. A poll by the Winpoll agency published on Friday in business daily Il Sole 24 ore put support for the League at 39 per cent, making it easily the country`s most popular party with more than double its share of the vote at last year's parliamentary election.

Italy government wins a confidence vote on decree targeting migrant rescue ships

Pope Francis on Tuesday condemned nationalist leaders who blame migrants for their countries' problems and themselves fostered mistrust in society by pursuing dishonest gain and xenophobic and racist policies.

The 82-year-old pope, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-vows-no-more-cover-ups-in-letter-to-all-catholics-on-sexual-abuse-160429">who has made a defence of migrants a plank of his papacy</a>, made the comments in his message for the Catholic Church's World Day of Peace on January 1. It is sent to heads of state and government and international organisations.

It comes at a time when immigration is one of the most contentious issues in countries such as the United States, Italy, Germany and Hungary. Francis has sparred with US President Donald Trump and Italian right-wing league leader Matteo Salvini over the rights of migrants.

"Political addresses that tend to blame every evil on migrants and to deprive the poor of hope are unacceptable," said the pope, who did not mention any countries or leaders.

He said today's times were "marked by a climate of mistrust rooted in the fear of others or of strangers, or anxiety about one's personal security."

Francis said it was sad that mistrust was "also seen at the political level, in attitudes of rejection or forms of nationalism that call into question the fraternity of which our globalised world has such great need."

Last week, the pope praised the United Nation’s first Global Compact on Migration, which sets objectives for how the management of migration can be improved. A number of nations, including the United States, Italy, Hungary, and Poland did not attend the meeting in Morocco.

Francis denounced a list of "vices" by politicians who he said undermined authentic democracy and brought disgrace to public life through various forms of corruption.

Among these, he included misappropriation of public resources, dishonest gain, xenophobia, racism, lack of concern for the environment, and plundering of natural resources.

He proposed eight "Beatitudes of the Politician" - first formulated by the late Vietnamese Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan - as a guide for the behaviour of public office holders.

These, he said, would set goals for politicians who, among other qualities, should have a deep understanding of their role, personally exemplify credibility, work for the common good and accomplish radical change.

Pope Francis on Tuesday condemned nationalist leaders who blame migrants for their countries' problems and themselves fostered mistrust in society by pursuing dishonest gain and xenophobic and racist policies.

Pope Francis on Tuesday condemned nationalist leaders who blame migrants for their countries' problems and themselves fostered mistrust in society by pursuing dishonest gain and xenophobic and racist policies. The 82-year-old pope, who has made a defence of migrants a plank of his papacy, made the comments in his message for the Catholic Church's World Day of Peace on January 1. It is sent to heads of state and government and international organisations. It comes at a time when immigration is one of the most contentious issues in countries such as the United States, Italy, Germany and Hungary. Francis has sparred with US President Donald Trump and Italian right-wing league leader Matteo Salvini over the rights of migrants. "Political addresses that tend to blame every evil on migrants and to deprive the poor of hope are unacceptable," said the pope, who did not mention any countries or leaders. He said today's times were "marked by a climate of mistrust rooted in the fear of others or of strangers, or anxiety about one's personal security." Francis said it was sad that mistrust was "also seen at the political level, in attitudes of rejection or forms of nationalism that call into question the fraternity of which our globalised world has such great need." Last week, the pope praised the United Nation’s first Global Compact on Migration, which sets objectives for how the management of migration can be improved. A number of nations, including the United States, Italy, Hungary, and Poland did not attend the meeting in Morocco. Francis denounced a list of "vices" by politicians who he said undermined authentic democracy and brought disgrace to public life through various forms of corruption. Among these, he included misappropriation of public resources, dishonest gain, xenophobia, racism, lack of concern for the environment, and plundering of natural resources. He proposed eight "Beatitudes of the Politician" - first formulated by the late Vietnamese Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan - as a guide for the behaviour of public office holders. These, he said, would set goals for politicians who, among other qualities, should have a deep understanding of their role, personally exemplify credibility, work for the common good and accomplish radical change.

Don't blame everything on migrants, Pope tells politicians

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