The bill passed the upper house after fiery debate and is headed to the lower house for final approval this week. The incentive program has earmarked €246,000 for this year, with funding nearly doubling for 2027 and 2028. Lawyers will receive a bonus only once their foreign clients have returned to their country of origin after accepting voluntary repatriation.
The bill does not specify the exact bonus amount, but rough calculations by the Italian press estimate it at about €615. Strong opposition has emerged from legal organizations. Italy's national bar council stated it was never informed about the measure and has urged parliament to scrap it.
Lawyers must not be paid to obtain an outcome desired by the state and must instead assist their clients 'in full freedom and independence'.
UCPI, which represents criminal lawyers, said the measure was incompatible with Italy's constitution. ANM, the magistrates' union, expressed dismay, warning that financial incentives risk undermining effective judicial protection. Another security measure in the decree allows public security agents to carry weapons even when not on duty, with estimates indicating at least 300,000 operators are affected.
Analysts and jurists have raised doubts and criticisms about this rule, including concerns over a suicide rate higher than average. Separately, a recent murder case investigation has revealed new evidence: the Milan prosecutor's office ordered an arrest for voluntary homicide against assistant chief Carmelo Cinturrino in the killing of Abderrahim Mansouri, believing the victim never wielded a weapon. DNA of the victim does not appear on the gun found next to the body, while traces of the agent are present, and a witness claims the victim only had a phone.
Legislative concerns have also arisen, as another security decree-law entered into force a week ago, with twenty days passing between approval in the Council of Ministers and publication, raising doubts about the necessity and urgency requirements under Article 77 of the Constitution. The security bill's progress continues amid parliamentary debate.