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Italy

Monthly Updates

January 2023

On 3 January, the Council of Ministries implemented a decree on NGO rescue missions, modifying the existing 130/2020 decree. The decree adds new requirements for the management of migration flows. Under the new decree, NGOs are prevented from conducting multiple searches and are required to collect and share information about migrants’ intention to claim asylum before disembarking. Human Rights Watch and a joint statement of 20 NGOs pointed out the risks posed to migrants and asylum seekers by the decree and the violation of several international conventions and laws. On 30 January, the Conference of International NGOs (INGOs) of the Council of Europe evaluated the decree and concluded that it does not comply with the rights embedded in Articles 8 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights – right to private life and family, and freedom of associations and assembly – due to lack of legality, legitimacy, and proportionality.

November 2022

The new Italian far-right government has refused to let 35 asylum seekers disembark from a rescue boat run by the German organization, SOS Humanity. The government used its new immigration policy, which is aimed at stopping the arrival of asylum seekers from North Africa. The Italian government also prevented 215 people from another refugee rescue ship, called the Geo Barents, to disembark. It further refused permission to dock to the Ocean Viking, a ship rescuing 234 refugees. In response to this, the French government has suspended a plan to take in 3,500 refugees currently in Italy. As the tension between Italy and France is growing over the issue, at the end of November the European Interior Ministers supported a plan to better coordinate the arrival of immigrants in Europe.

October 2022

Italy’s new ruling coalition is the first far-right-led one since the World War II’s end. Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy), a party with neo-fascist origins, is the coalition’s dominant party. The government is expected to deal with major crisis following the soaring energy prices, increased cost of living and Russia’s war in Ukraine. Although this government will feature Italy’s first ever woman Prime Minister, only 25 per cent of Giorgia Meloni’s cabinet ministers are women – as compared to the two previous governments, which were comprised of 30 and 50 per cent women, respectively.

September 2022

The coalition that consists of two far-right political parties, Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) and Matteo Salvini’s Lega (League), as well as former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right Forza Italia, have won 44 per cent of the vote in the snap general election held on 25 September. Although Fratelli d’Italia was the top vote-getter, the failure of the fragmented left to form a coalition was a key factor that led to the (far-)right’s victory. Fratelli d’Italia was founded after World War II by Mussolini supporters, and while Meloni has stated that the party doesn’t have any connection with the fascist rhetoric anymore, critics worry that the party still includes fascist supporters. Meloni has particularly promised to defend “traditional family” and has targeted the “LGBT lobby,” immigrants and what she called an “Islamist violence” and “bureaucrats of Brussels.” The voter turnout was 64 per cent (nine points lower than the 2018 election), Italy’s lowest ever turnout for a general election.

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GSoD Indices Data 2012-2021

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
59 066 220
System of government
Parliamentary system
Head of government
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (since 2022)
Head of government party
Brothers of Italy
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
Parallel
Women in lower or single chamber
36.4%
Women in upper chamber
35.0%
Last legislative election
2022
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
3.42
Head of state
President Sergio Mattarella
Selection process for head of state
Indirect election (assembly + regional/local representatives)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
04/11/2019
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
95.42%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 4 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 6 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 7 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Signatory
Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
in
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Early Warning System BETA

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Low risk of democratic breakdown Low risk of democratic breakdown (BETA)
Low risk of democratic backsliding Low risk of democratic backsliding (BETA)

Attributes Over Time

Representative government neutral Representative Government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Fundamental rights
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Checks on government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Impartial administration
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Participatory engagement
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023

GSoD Indices

Regime type
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