Italy - May 2023

The Italian government passed a new law to combat irregular migration, restricting the rights of migrants to seek special protection, access fair asylum procedures, and enjoy freedom of movement.  Analysts flagged that the decree is not effective in addressing human trafficking as intended and that it harms migrants already living in Italy. Human Rights Watch has said the authorities introduced the legislative changes through an emergency decree measure and by restricting parliamentary oversight. Rights organizations in Italy also expressed their concern over the authorities’ use of extraordinary measures and the declaration of a state of emergency in April to address enduring and systemic challenges such as migration.

Sources: Human Rights Watch, European Council of Refugees and Exiles (1), European Council of Refugees and Exiles (2), Il Domani, Integrazione Migranti, Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, European Council of Refugees and Exiles (3), Forum nazionale per cambiare l’ordine delle cose

The region of Emilia Romagna saw heavy flooding and mudslides which killed 17 people and forced approximately 20,000 residents to evacuate after three separate events of heavy rainfall. The Civil Protection department reported that more than 20 rivers burst their banks, resulting in 280 landslides. Researchers have said that the country’s worst floods in 100 years are a result of climate change, while others have attributed the extreme events to excessive urbanization and poor use of the land. Climate activists poured charcoal into Rome’s Trevi Fountain as a protest for public subsidies to fossil fuels, saying the floods were a result of the climate crisis. The Council of Ministers approved a state of emergency and a decree granting urgent measures to support the affected areas.

Sources: Governo, La Gazzetta degli Enti Locali, Italian Government, Today, The Guardian, Deutsche Welle, Cable News Network