Historic ICC complaint filed against Meloni government

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the complaint — filed on October 1, 2025 — bears the signatures of around 50 law professors, attorneys, and public figures. It accuses the Italian government of participating in war crimes and acts of genocide against the Palestinian people by “sending lethal weapons to Israel.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed in an interview with the state broadcaster RAI that her name, along with those of Defense Minister Guido Crosetto and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, appears in the complaint. She added that Roberto Cingolani, head of the Leonardo defense company, may also be listed among the accused.

Meloni commented on the case, saying, “I don’t think there’s any precedent for such a complaint in the world or in history.”

According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Italy is one of only three countries in the world that exported major conventional weapons to Israel between 2020 and 2024.

During this period, the United States and Germany accounted for 99 percent of heavy weapons exports — including missiles, aircraft, and air defense systems — while Italy supplied light helicopters and naval guns to Tel Aviv. Rome also participates in the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program.

SIPRI has warned that the potential use of F-35s in violations of international humanitarian law has fueled widespread criticism of Italy’s role in the Gaza conflict.