The Government is assigning a further 500 military personnel to the ‘Strade Sicure’ initiative. The operation, which has divided the majority, has been stepped up

“It is easy to announce an increase in military personnel without even addressing the issue of what they will be required to do and how they will be able to do it,” wrote the Defence Minister on X, on the eve of the cabinet meeting that approved the latest measure. “For this to make sense, we need the Council of Ministers to approve regulations tomorrow that allow them to act as police forces, but only for the time necessary to provide support to the Carabinieri, the Police and the Guardia di Finanza (i.e. three months), in the face of phenomena such as those we have witnessed.” Although Crosetto did not mention Salvini by name, it is likely that the remark was directed at him. Conversely, the League believes that the contingent deployed in the operation should be increased to 10,000 military personnel.

The issue of strengthening the military presence in the ‘Strade Sicure’ programme has been causing divisions within the majority (and also within FdI) ever since Crosetto emphasised last November the need to ‘increase police numbers so that the military can return to their original role’. In reality, he is not opposed to the operation as such, but rather to certain aspects of it. Crosetto has criticised the ‘constraints that continue to exist and make it difficult for the military to fulfil that role to the best of their ability. Due to bureaucratic and legislative red tape, logistical and organisational issues, and problems with training and equipment. That is why I took the liberty of saying - he explained recently - that it would have been more productive to recruit 10,000 more Carabinieri, who are part of the Ministry of Defence but act as a police force with all the powers of the police’.

The Defence Minister asked: ‘Do we want to deploy the military straight away? As long as it’s not just for “cosmetic” reasons, to show off a bit of camouflage on the streets. If, on the other hand, we want them to be operational and, as some are calling for, we want special forces in high-risk areas of cities, alongside the police, we simply need to make this legally possible.”

Following discussions with the Quirinale and a summit at Palazzo Chigi, the section of the measure approved by the Council of Ministers that provided for the assignment of judicial police duties to the Armed Forces under the ‘Strade Sicure’ programme has been dropped. Minister Crosetto was in favour of this solution, whilst the Minister for the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, was more sceptical. The decision not to retain the provision within the bill was based on the view that soldiers do not have adequate training in this area. The police unions were also opposed.

In fact, the military personnel involved in ‘Strade Sicure’ do not have the same powers as the police when incidents of public disorder occur, as happened in Milan.

In carrying out their duties, military personnel act in the capacity of public security officers; consequently, they may proceed to immediately identify and search individuals and vehicles, including for the purpose of preventing or stopping behaviour that may endanger the safety of persons or the security of the areas under their surveillance. However, for any further investigations and to carry out all judicial police procedures, recourse must be made to the offices or headquarters of the State Police or the Carabinieri.