Solidarity of Musk: Does Salvini save the helm in the process?

Solidarity of Musk: Does Salvini save the helm in the process?

Italy's vice -premier Matteo Salvini is facing a possible decision on Friday as part of a process in Palermo. The head of the Lega could be sentenced to six years in prison for deprivation of freedom and abuse of office. The indictment is based on his actions as Interior Minister in 2019 when he refused to enter a refugee ship of the Spanish NGO Open Arms the entrance to the port of Lampedusa for almost three weeks under inhumane conditions. This was considered a serious violation of human rights, and the public prosecutor's office of Palermo is now calling for a sensitive punishment for the politician who has already asserted his innocence on social media by saying: "I am guilty of defending Italy and the Italians," as the NZZ reported.

The US billionaire and Tesla boss Elon Musk also reacted to the impending prison sentence and expressed his support for Salvini on X. Musk described the legal problems of Salvini as absurd and praised his defense attitude. At the same time, Salvini received support from various political actors, including the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who confirmed that the government was behind him, as OE24.at reported. Experts see the upcoming pronouncement of the judgment not only as a hour of fate for Salvini, but also for the Lega as a party that is currently in change and may need a realignment to get out of the political crisis.

political importance and future of Salvini

The past few years have brought Salvini and the Lega into a precarious situation in which the party experienced impressive heights and depths. Originally at the peak of his career, when Lega became the strongest party with 34.3 percent of the vote in 2019, Salvini is now fighting against falling approval and impending isolation within the right political landscape of Italy. At the upcoming party meeting, he could also come under pressure to position himself against the increasingly dominant Fratelli d’Italia by Giorgia Meloni. Regardless of the impending judgment, Salvini emphasized that he will not withdraw in the event of a conviction and that it is his duty to defend the borders of Italy.