Italy’s Justice Minister said he wants dialogue with the judiciary to reduce their criticism of laws of a “political nature”. He also asked politicians to “tone it down” when criticising judicial decisions.
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio urged members of the judiciary on Sunday to reduce their criticisms of the “political nature” of laws. Nordio, speaking via video to a congress of Magistratura Democratica (MD), a left-wing faction of the National Association of Magistrates (ANM), also called on policymakers to “tone it down” when criticising judicial decisions. “We want dialogue with the judiciary because we know that magistrates are called to implement laws,” Nordio said.
Nordio highlighted a recurring issue: “Another problem is criticism of the political nature and content of laws once they have been approved, and (President Sergio) Mattarella has been very clear about this.” He expressed his hope for more balanced communication in the future, adding, “I hope that in future dialogue there will be increasingly less criticism from members of the judiciary on the political merit of laws in Parliament and that politicians will tone it down in criticising sentences.”
Salvini provides example of not toning it down
Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the League party, took a stronger stance. He condemned judges who, in his view, “boycott” laws instead of enforcing them, suggesting they “get into politics with the Refounded Communists.”
This message was accompanied by a photo of Silvia Albano, president of Magistratura Democratica and one of the judges who recently blocked the detention of migrants transferred to a new processing facility in Albania. “Those judges, luckily a few, who instead of applying laws twist them and boycott them, should have the dignity to resign, to change jobs and get into politics with the Refounded Communists,” Salvini wrote on X (formerly Twitter), calling them “a problem for Italy.”
Silvia Albano responded, stating she has “no intention of seeking a clash with the government,” but accusing the government of creating conflict. “There has been an insufferable personalisation,” she added. Albano stated that legal communities, including the Union of criminal chambers and associations of European law professors, all uphold the primacy of European legislation.
Albano was among the judges who rejected the detention of 12 migrants sent to Albania. They argued the migrants’ home countries, Bangladesh and Egypt, aren’t deemed safe by a recent European Court of Justice ruling. The Rome court’s 18th October ruling to return the migrants to Italy met with criticism from Justice Minister Nordio, who called it “abnormal” and suggested judges misinterpreted the European ruling. Following this, on 21st October, the government issued a new decree classifying 19 countries, including Egypt and Bangladesh, as safe to prevent further legal challenges based on the European court’s 4th October decision.
Amid escalating tensions, Albano reported receiving death threats, lodging a complaint with the State Attorney’s office in Rome on 24th October.
