Erika Malandra The new security decree is inflaming tempers and is sure to spark political conflict, as always, especially after the violent incidents recorded in Milan and other cities.
On October 20, 2026, the Council of Ministers approved new measures for public safety and the fight against juvenile crime. The following day, MEP Ilaria Salis criticized the measure in a Facebook post, specifically criticizing the increased military presence in the Lombardy capital and what she considered an overly repressive response to the country's problems. At the center of the controversy were the role of the military, the new regulations, and the relationship between public order and social unrest.
Security decree: Ilaria Salis protests the military's arrival in Milan.
In his social media post, Salis appears to question the decision to increase the number of soldiers on Milan's streets and also raises the possibility, discussed during the drafting of the measure, of granting them judicial police powers.
"What's next? A license to shoot at the crowd, Bava Beccaris-style?" writes Ilaria Salis. A powerful historical reference, which accompanies her criticism of the government's measures.
General Fiorenzo Bava Beccaris is remembered for the repression of the popular uprisings in Milan in 1898. In the post, Salis defines the government as "post-fascist" and argues that the recent events in Milan represent the failure of security policies.
This is his political assessment, expressed in harsh terms. The MEP questions the effectiveness of a strategy that, in his view, insists on repression without addressing the underlying causes of discontent.
The government, for its part, justified the new intervention with the need to prevent and counter the violence seen during the demonstrations. Among the announced measures is the strengthening of Operation Safe Streets with 500 additional troops in Milan, as announced by the Ministry of Defense on October 20.
Ilaria Salis and the security decree: "We need a welfare state."
Salis's criticism of the security decree isn't limited to the army's presence on the streets. In her speech, the MEP links the issue of security to economic and social issues that, in her view, remain unanswered.
The reference is to the cost of living, low wages, and the difficulties of public services. Ilaria Salis argues that the tightening of measures, combined with the criminalization of protests and rearmament, risks further fueling social tensions rather than resolving them.
"What we need is a social state, not a police state," he wrote in a message reported by Adnkronos on October 21. This sums up his position: not denying the existence of security problems, but challenging the tools chosen by the government to address them.
The decree comes after the clashes and damage reported during recent demonstrations. The government presented the new regulations as a response to those incidents, introducing measures to combat violent participation in protests and strengthening prevention tools to prevent the destruction of businesses and city streets.
The gap between the two positions remains clear. On one hand, the government is pushing for greater tools to monitor and combat violence; on the other, Ilaria Salis is calling for measures to address economic and social hardship alongside security. This political clash, following the green light to the decree, has also spilled over onto social media.