Senate gives the green light

The Italian Senate approved the majority's resolution on the prime minister's briefing about the EU Council and the Middle East crisis with 102 votes in favor, 66 against and 1 abstention. The document bundles several government positions and commitments on foreign policy, border security and naval missions.

What the resolution says, in plain language

  • Iran is condemned for what the text calls a destabilizing role in the region, while the people of Iran are explicitly supported in their demand for freedom.
  • The resolution stresses the need to protect the EU's land, air and sea borders effectively.
  • It backs the defensive maritime operations Aspides and Atalanta and asks EU partners to consider adapting or strengthening those missions if the situation on the ground requires it.

The opposing parties' resolutions were either set aside or partially absorbed into the majority document. The debate now moves to the Chamber of Deputies this afternoon.

Meloni to the Senate: Italy will not join a war

The prime minister described the Middle East crisis as one of the most complex in recent decades and placed recent US and Israeli actions against Iran in the broader breakdown of international norms. She was clear that Italy is not taking part in those actions and does not intend to do so, repeating that "we are not at war and we do not want to enter a war."

She insisted Italy is neither complicit nor isolated in Europe, and that government choices are subject to parliamentary control.

Open to talks, but Parliament stays central

Meloni said she hopes the crisis will be handled with constructive spirit and less partisan shouting. She offered to meet the opposition at Palazzo Chigi and said she is open to a private discussion as well as parliamentary debate. Any request to use bases on Italian soil by foreign powers, she noted, would be decided by government and Parliament, and no such request has arrived so far.

Culture war props and a sober moment

Some theatricality: the M5s handed over red caps styled after a well-known American hat, but printed with "No alla guerra," and waved them in the chamber. The stunt drew barbs from other parties, while the PD accused the prime minister of an excessively detached reaction.

On a serious note, the Senate gave a bipartisan round of applause when Meloni demanded that responsibility be established for the massacre of girls in southern Iran, calling for protection of civilians and children.

Taxes on fuel speculators and possible excise tweaks

Faced with fuel price spikes, the government pledged to do what it can to prevent profiteering. That includes studying higher taxes on companies found to be speculating, and the possible use of so-called mobile excise duties if price rises become structural. Meloni explained the government did not trigger the mechanism immediately because it relies on VAT revenues generated by higher fuel prices, and the current spike is considered short term.

Unifil safety and Lebanon concerns

About Lebanon, Meloni warned that a new war there would be reckless. Italy has more than a thousand troops under the Unifil mission and the government asked Israel to guarantee their safety. She noted that while the mission remains important, its rules of engagement might need updating to face the current crisis.

EU defense and energy notes

At EU level, Meloni argued for a comprehensive upgrade of European defense readiness, protecting both the eastern and southern flanks. She asked for an urgent suspension of the ETS application to thermal electricity production until global fossil fuel prices calm down, and stressed that changes to the EU budget must respect the unanimity rule. On the Druzhba oil pipeline issue, she called for a political solution.

On migration centers and Hormuz

Meloni reiterated that the Italy-Albania mechanism for migrant centers is in line with EU and international law, though she warned legal fights may continue. Regarding Hormuz and freedom of navigation, she said the debate is ongoing and any concrete proposals should be discussed in Parliament, balancing economic needs and the risk of being drawn into conflict.

The opposition's papers

The opposition presented three separate resolutions. The PD's document asked for urgent multilateral moves to stop military actions and called for a ceasefire and de-escalation. Avs offered a multi-topic resolution with similar asks, including no use of Italian bases for attacks. M5s called for condemnation of unilateral military actions outside international law and reaffirmed a pro-European stance of defending shared interests.

Bottom line: the Senate backed the government's approach for now, Meloni assured Italians they will not be dragged into military action, and the political debate continues as the situation in the Middle East evolves. Expect more parliamentary rounds and talking points in the days ahead.