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After the American raids in Iran, Palazzo Chigi reaffirms its central role: no attack can be launched without the authorization of the Italian government. Between secret agreements and parliamentary debate, Italy moves with firmness and autonomy.
In a tense geopolitical moment, marked by the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites by the United States, the Italian government led by Giorgia Meloni has clearly reiterated a fundamental principle: US military bases in Italy cannot be used for war operations without prior authorization from the Italian government. This position, publicly pronounced on June 23 by the Prime Minister to the Chamber of Deputies, represents an act of institutional responsibility and reaffirmation of national sovereignty, in an international context dominated by increasingly opaque military logic.
“The use of US bases in Italy has not been requested, which can only be used with authorization from the Italian government,” Meloni said, adding that a decision of this magnitude would require a parliamentary passage and that “it cannot be taken on an ideological basis.” The government’s message is clear: Italy is not a passive platform for other people’s military operations, but a sovereign state that evaluates every military decision based on the context, international law and national interests. A line also confirmed by Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, who recalled that the use of bases by US forces is tied to a formal request and the related authorization from the Italian executive.
A complex legal framework, but with Italian room for maneuver
It is true that the legal framework that regulates the US military presence in Italy is stratified and partly classified. The agreements date back to the late 1940s and include both multilateral treaties within NATO and bilateral agreements, such as the 1954 Bilateral Infrastructure Agreement (BIA), which, although not made public, formally requires the United States not to use Italian installations for military purposes unless in accordance with NATO directives or by agreement with the Italian government.
Even if, as revealed by Wikileaks, the practice has seen a flexible interpretation of these provisions by the United States, the requirement to obtain the consent of the Italian government remains intact and decisive. Meloni and Crosetto have therefore strengthened a principle that, in recent history, has seen concrete applications. In 2018, for example, Italy refused to participate in the bombing of Syria conducted by the United States, the United Kingdom and France, prohibiting the use of bases on its territory in the absence of a UN mandate. Even then, the government chose prudence, respecting the Constitution and international law.
Parliament: between political necessity and constitutional obligation
Although not always legally binding, the involvement of Parliament has been indicated by President Meloni as a choice of transparency and democratic sharing. Despite the divergent interpretations among experts such as Michele Ainis and Domenico Pauciulo on the need for a parliamentary vote, the government has expressed its desire not to operate alone. A position that demonstrates attention both to the constitutional dictate – in particular to articles 11 and 78, which regulate the repudiation of war and the procedures for declaring it – and to the need to guarantee a responsible political debate on such delicate issues.
A conscious management of the present, with an eye to the future
The firmness shown by the Italian executive should not be read as hostility towards allies, but rather as a mature exercise of strategic autonomy, perfectly compatible with Italy’s Euro-Atlantic commitment. At a time when European sovereignty and shared responsibility are increasingly being discussed, Italy shows that alliance does not mean subordination.
The merit of the Meloni government, in this context, is twofold: on the one hand, it has reaffirmed the centrality of Italian institutions in military decisions on its territory; on the other, it has brought the debate on foreign and defense policy back into democratic settings, distancing it from emergency or purely ideological logics. In a world where war can break out with a drone and where alliances are tested in moments of crisis, the clarity shown by Italy is a strong signal: on its own soil, the Italian government decides, in compliance with the rules, Parliament and the people. A position that, in addition to being legally founded, is also politically farsighted.
Alessandro Fiorentino