Andrea Innocenti Amid a growing wave of cyberattacks, the debate over cybersecurity funding has become the focus of a heated political battle. The opposition, led by figures such as Senator Enrico Borghi (Italy) and members of the Five Star Movement, the Democratic Party, and Più Europa, accuses the government of reducing resources allocated to digital defense just as the threat intensifies.
The dispute emerged as the Senate considered a bill to create 1.200 military cyber specialists . The measure, supported by a segment of the majority, aims to strengthen the armed forces' role in protecting IT infrastructure, but the rapporteur introduced an amendment that, according to Borghi, " would remove debate and control over resource allocation from parliamentary committees ."
The senator then called for greater transparency rather than a centralization of powers.
Cuts to the National Cybersecurity Strategy Fund
The center-left emphasizes that the 2025 Budget Law reduced the budget by 9,6 million euros and envisages a further 15 million euros in cuts for each year from 2026 to 2037.
The Fund, originally allocated at 150 million euros annually from 2025 to 2037, was intended to finance interventions on critical infrastructure, public administrations, independent authorities, and regions.
In addition to these reductions, the law of May 9, 2025, further reduced the Cybersecurity Management Fund: €1 million for 2025 , €4 million for 2026 , and €5 million annually from 2027 onwards. The result, according to critics, is a clear contradiction to the declarations of strengthening defense capabilities.
The accusations of opposition leaders
Giuseppe Conte, president of the Five Star Movement (M5S), called the government's decisions a " defunding of cybersecurity " and accused the government of allocating €14 billion to traditional weapons and equipment, leaving digital defense empty-handed. Minister Beatrice Lorenzin called for a " shift of resources from weapons to cybersecurity ," focusing in particular on the protection of hospitals and other essential infrastructure.
Riccardo Magi, secretary of Più Europa, emphasized that Italy is " under hacker attack " and that the government is completely unprepared, citing the cuts already introduced in the previous budget. Angelo Bonelli (AVS) also reiterated the need to prioritize defense against cyber attacks over the purchase of conventional weapons, asking Parliament for a clear explanation of the government's strategy.
Defense and Government: The Institutional Response
Senate President Ignazio La Russa rejected the government's accusations, arguing that defense resources are not exclusively dedicated to traditional weapons but also to cybersecurity measures . " Countering the dangers we have recently experienced is not free ," he stated, calling the situation a " hybrid war " that requires investment in advanced technologies.
Luca Ciriani, Minister for Relations with Parliament, explained that defense investments include the " most advanced frontier of technological warfare "—cyber capabilities. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense, in its latest Multi-Year Planning Document, indicates a commitment of €1,91 billion to cybersecurity projects, € 503 million of which is earmarked for the 2025 Budget Law . These figures aim to demonstrate that the national defense is already directing funds toward digital protection, despite criticism from those who believe the budget is insufficient.
The debate focuses on two key aspects: on the one hand, the opposition's desire to increase transparency and restore the reduced funding, and on the other, the government's defense, which claims to integrate cybersecurity into the new defense spending plans. The debate remains open and could influence future budget decisions, especially in view of the parliamentary consideration of the bill on the role of military cyber specialists.