“I hope common sense prevails, because defending borders is not a crime. It’s embarrassing to think about this trial while we’re facing important challenges, and with positive macroeconomic data: employment at 62.2%, and unemployment at a historic low of 6.8%.” These were the words of Matteo Salvini, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Lega, in an interview with Libero, referring to the Open Arms trial in Palermo, where he faces charges of kidnapping for closing ports to illegal immigration when he was Interior Minister. The prosecution is delivering its arguments today. When asked if he would make the same choices again, Salvini responded, “Absolutely. I kept my word to voters, who asked us to stop landings, reducing tragedies in the Mediterranean. Under my leadership at the Interior Ministry, landings dropped from 42,700 to 8,691.”
Salvini added, “This is a political responsibility of the left, which decided to seek revenge against me by sending me to trial. It’s a desperate move by those who can’t win at the ballot box, so they try to eliminate rivals through the courts. We’ve seen this before with Silvio Berlusconi, and now we’re seeing it—on some level—even with Donald Trump.” Regarding whether Europe has changed its stance on migration, Salvini said, “The von der Leyen commission has been a failure, but some European countries, like Germany, have toughened their deportation policies. The facts prove us right. Leaving Italy to face the crisis alone has harmed all of Europe, and now they’re scrambling to fix it.”
Salvini also addressed the Lega’s fight to preserve internal combustion engines, saying, “On traditional engines, Europe is starting to come around. Even Germany is debating whether to lift the ban on producing petrol and diesel cars from 2035. Italians know the state has spent billions on supporting Stellantis. I’m always open to dialogue, but I want to prioritize meetings with laid-off workers, technicians, and unions.”
On regional autonomy, he criticized left-leaning regions that oppose it, saying, “Sardinia, which enjoys special status, wants to deny autonomy to others. Bonaccini’s Emilia-Romagna used to support decentralization, but now they’ve embraced centralism. Autonomy will improve the country by bringing decision-making closer to the people.”
As for relations with Forza Italia, Salvini expressed confidence, saying, “I’m sure they’ve realized that reforms like ius scholae—granting easy citizenship—aren’t a priority for a country already granting some of the highest numbers of citizenships in Europe. Instead, the Lega will propose stripping citizenship from immigrants who commit crimes.”
Finally, on his tenure as minister, Salvini highlighted achievements such as the new public contracts code, investments in infrastructure, and efforts to modernize the railway system. Regarding the upcoming U.S. elections, he reaffirmed his support for Donald Trump and the Republicans, warning that “some are pushing us closer to a third world war.”
