From domestic security to tensions in the Middle East and a sweeping justice reform, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni used an interview on TG5 to reaffirm her government’s positions on a range of sensitive issues.
On terrorism, Meloni described the threat linked to Islamist extremism as “highly complex,” noting that it can also manifest through so-called lone actors and is therefore difficult to predict. For that reason, she said, vigilance must remain high. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi has convened the National Committee for Public Order and Security, and “all relevant bodies are fully mobilized, starting with our intelligence services,” the prime minister said.
Turning to Iran and the military escalation in the Gulf region, Meloni argued that “we cannot allow the current Iranian regime to possess long-range missiles with nuclear warheads.” At the same time, she acknowledged that the nuclear agreement had failed and noted that the United States and Israel chose to strike without involving European partners. Italy’s priority, she said, is to prevent the crisis from spreading, while assisting thousands of Italian nationals stranded in the region and maintaining close contact with both Gulf countries and European allies. Any de-escalation, she added, must begin with an end to what she called Iran’s “totally unjustified” attacks on Gulf states.
Meloni also dismissed criticism directed at Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, saying he “has never stopped doing his job.”
The interview concluded with a defense of the government’s proposed justice reform, including a referendum on separating the careers of prosecutors and judges. Meloni described the reform as “necessary to modernize Italy” and rejected claims that it would subject the judiciary to political control. On the contrary, she argued, the changes would remove Parliament’s and judicial factions’ influence over the composition of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM), introducing instead a lottery system among qualified magistrates.
Separating the roles of those who prosecute and those who judge, she said, would strengthen the rule of law and align Italy with the prevailing model in Europe. As for the proposed High Disciplinary Court, Meloni denied any punitive intent, insisting that those holding positions of responsibility should be assessed by an independent body. Overall, she maintained, the reform is “more than justified.”