Italy’s far-right League party leader Matteo Salvini addresses the media after talks between President Sergio Mattarella and political parties to try to find the basis for a new government, in Rome, Italy, January 28, 2021. REUTERS / Yara Nardi / File Photo
Matteo Salvini, leader of the Italian League’s right-wing party, is on trial on kidnapping charges over his decision to prevent more than 100 migrants from landing in the country by 2019, a judge ordered Saturday.
Salvini, who was Secretary of the Interior at the time, left the migrants at sea until prosecutors ordered the ship to be confiscated and the people on board evacuated.
The trial will begin on September 15 in the Sicilian capital Palermo.
Salvini, who has built much of his political fortune through an anti-immigration campaign, could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty at the end of a painstaking three-stage legal process.
A final conviction could dismiss him from the government office.
“I’m going to appear in court with my head held high, both in your name and in mine. Italy first, always,” Salvini tweeted immediately after the verdict. “Defending our country is the citizen’s sacred duty … for that I am being tried.”
During his 14 months as interior minister, Salvini stopped several boats from docking in Italy in an attempt to stem migrant flows, and regularly accused the charities that operated them of effectively encouraging people smuggling.
Proactiva Open Arms, the Spanish NGO that operated the migrant rescue ship at the heart of the case, welcomed the judge’s ruling.
“Violating a fundamental right such as protecting people at sea for the sake of political propaganda is disgraceful,” said founder Oscar Camps, adding that the trial “would be an opportunity to pass judgment on a period of time. in European history. “
Salvini withdrew the League from the coalition government in the summer of 2019 in an unsuccessful bid to provoke elections as his party rode high in the polls.
The League, now part of Mario Draghi’s two-month-old national unity government, has lost more than 10 points in voter support, but remains the most popular party in Italy at around 23% by most polls.
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