The Italian Senate has officially enacted a contentious new law designed to tighten control over public demonstrations while expanding legal protections for law enforcement personnel. The legislation, known as the Security Decree, received approval with a vote count of 109 in favor to 69 against, alongside one abstention, after passing through the lower house the previous week.
Key Provisions of the Security Decree
This new law introduces harsher penalties for offenses related to protests, such as property damage and disruptive sit-ins. It further grants law enforcement broader powers, allowing intelligence agents to engage in certain criminal activities for national security reasons without the risk of prosecution. Additionally, the law establishes a new crime for injuring a police officer while they are on duty and allocates up to €10,000 to cover legal expenses for officers being investigated for their actions while performing their duties.
“With the final approval of the Security Decree in the Senate, the Government takes a decisive step to strengthen the protection of citizens, the most vulnerable groups and our men and women in uniform,” Meloni said on Wednesday.
Reactions and Controversy
The decree also imposes longer sentences for inmates who engage in riots or disobey orders within prisons and migrant detention centers, alongside new regulations aimed at curbing pickpocketing on public transport, especially targeting those feigning pregnancy to evade arrest.
Promoted by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni under her vow to create “a safer Italy,” the legislation has ignited protests throughout the country. Human rights organizations have accused the government of seeking to criminalize dissent, restrict civil liberties, and undermine the right to protest.
This legislation has raised concerns among Meloni’s opponents, who point to the ties between her Brothers of Italy party and historical fascism, noting that suppressing dissent and enhancing police powers are strategies reminiscent of totalitarian regimes. In December, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty expressed serious concerns regarding the bill in a letter to Senate President Ignazio La Russa, suggesting that it could infringe upon European human rights standards, especially those that protect protesters, migrants, and young activists.
Prior to the final vote, senators from the center-left opposition organized a protest by sitting on the Senate floor and chanting “shame.” Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein remarked, “It is a decree that is not about more security, but about more repression.”