Following this weekend’s violent riots in Italy, Giorgia Meloni is responding with harsher penalties, parental responsibility, and 500 additional soldiers. At the same time, her own government has continued to allow for extensive immigration. Attention is now focused on who participated in the violence—and whether Meloni will be forced to deal with the consequences of her own policies.
The Italian government approved On Tuesday, a new security decree was issued following the weekend's looting and violent riots in Milan and other cities. According to the prime minister Giorgia Meloni Nearly 200 police officers were injured, and 330 people were arrested or taken into custody.
Meloni points to both far-left groups and youth gangs as participants in the unrest. She also notes that half of those taken into custody were of foreign descent, while the youngest identified perpetrator was only 11 years old.
Stricter penalties – parents will have to pay
The government is introducing a specific crime for organized violence during demonstrations. Parents may be held financially liable for crimes committed by minors, while the police will have greater authority to intervene before violence breaks out.
In addition, 500 additional soldiers will be sent to Milan through the end of the year.
– Protesting is a right; setting our cities on fire is not, Meloni said in a video count.
Remains Open to Immigration
Meloni ran for office in 2022 on a platform of stricter immigration controls. Despite this, her government has set quotas for nearly 500,000 work permits for non-EU nationals for the period 2026–2028.
At the same time, the number of foreign nationals residing in Italy increased by about 188,000 in 2025, according to the statistics agency ISTAT.
Is it combating the consequences of its own policies?
Meloni’s measures are welcomed by many, but at the same time, one cannot ignore the fact that she has pursued policies that have contributed to this situation. The new security measures are intended to stop the violence on the streets, while the government’s extensive labor immigration policy continues. In practice, this means she is combating the symptoms of her own policies.
Is Meloni a Trojan horse?
How difficult is it to close the Italian border?
Matteo Salvini is better suited to be Italy's prime minister.
Meloni is just like Macaron. It's their own people who are causing the trouble.
What is Alessandra Mussolini doing these days? She is now 62 years old and has served in the European Parliament.
Meloni is just as phony as Åkesson—they're happy as long as they're in power.