Latest EU report on corruption: Council of Europe calls on Italy to “Increase effectiveness of fight against corruption in politics”

Italy must “improve the effectiveness of its system to promote integrity and prevent corruption in government and law enforcement,”

The Council of Europe is convinced that in the Italian case, “determined measures are needed to prevent corruption against people with high-level executive functions, including the Prime Minister, ministers, undersecretaries of state, extraordinary and special commissioners”, and not only them. Also members of direct collaboration offices, members of the State Police, the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Finanza are included among those considered to be too exposed to corruption phenomena.

For Giorgia Meloni, 19 recommendations, not a few, on which the conclusions will be drawn in 2026. The country is given just under two years to tighten the net and freedom of maneuver against ill-intentioned people. Three corrections requested are the strengthening of the rules on gifts, benefits, invitations, contacts with lobbyists and on post-public office, because even what will be done after the mandate can be the object of conflict of interest.

On the subject of conflict of interest, this is where the limits of the country system emerge. The Greco group recognizes that Italy actually has a “considerable” legal framework in terms of preventing and fighting corruption, which however is “complicated to manage, to the detriment of its efficiency”, and this is “particularly evident in the regulation of conflicts of interest” and financial disclosure, where different rules apply but do not adequately cover all people with high-level executive functions.