Italy Senate blocks investigation into Salvini for holding migrants on ship
Source: Reuters
ROME (Reuters) - An Italian Senate committee voted on Tuesday to block an investigation into accusations of kidnapping against Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini over his decision to hold 150 migrants on board a ship for five days last August.
The committee voted 16 to 6 to stop the investigation into Salvini, who is also interior minister and the leader of the hard-right League party which rules in a coalition with the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement.
The case has sown division within the government and in particular within 5-Star, which has built its support on pledges to bring transparency to Italian politics and has harshly criticized past parliamentary maneuvering to halt judicial proceedings against lawmakers.
Prosecutors in Sicily have sought permission to investigate Salvini for abuse of power and kidnapping over the case of migrants held on board the Diciotti coast guard ship.
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WORLD NEWS FEBRUARY 19, 2019 / 10:12 AM / UPDATED 18 MINUTES AGO
Angelo Amante
3 MIN READ
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-politics/italy-senate-blocks-investigation-into-salvini-for-holding-migrants-on-ship-idUSKCN1Q81V9