“Do you think it’s normal for a country to sue the interior minister for doing what he promised during his election campaign?” Salvini asked rhetorically during a meeting with Lega voters last month.
Salvini says the Open Arms could have sailed to Spain or Malta, where the ship could have landed the migrants after just a few days. According to the Lega leader, that this did not happen is the captain’s fault.
The main defense of Salvini and his lawyer is that he acted in consultation with the cabinet and in line with government policy. Giuseppe Conte, who was Prime Minister at the time, countered that granting a safe harbor to ships is the exclusive competence of the Minister of the Interior.
Political gain
It seems unlikely for the time being that the trial will lead to a conviction. In a similar case earlier this year, the same charge failed to result in a trial, as another judge ruled the kidnapping charge to be unfounded. The fact that the judge in Palermo does go through with the process is reason for Salvini to speak of a “political process”.
Despite that accusation, the politician is expected to use the process to put the issue of migration back on the map in Italy, because he traditionally scores well with his voters.
And Salvini could use some political success: in recent months he has argued several times with party members, including about the introduction of the corona pass. Partly as a result of that disagreement, Lega scored particularly poorly in the local elections last month.
Richard Gere
Dozens of witnesses will be heard in various hearings over the coming months, including former Prime Minister Conte and Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio. The most notorious witness is the American actor Richard Gere, who worked as a volunteer on Lampedusa in August 2019. “I’ll ask for an autograph afterwards,” Salvini joked.
It is unknown when a ruling will be made. The process will take at least a few months. If it comes to a conviction, Salvini has two more chances to appeal.
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