Overview
- The Senate approved an amendment to the Security Decree that creates a €615 fee for lawyers who help migrants apply for assisted voluntary return, paid only after the person leaves Italy.
- The decree now goes to the Chamber of Deputies, where the government is expected to seek a confidence vote to secure final passage in the coming days.
- The Consiglio Nazionale Forense said it was never consulted on being named in the scheme and asked Parliament to strip out any duties for the body.
- The Unione delle Camere Penali called the outcome‑linked fee incompatible with the Constitution and legal ethics, and magistrates’ groups and opposition parties warned it could pressure lawyers away from defending rights.
- The measure sets aside €246,000 for 2026 and €492,000 per year for 2027–2028, mirrors the €615 grant already offered to migrants in these programs, and targets a channel that saw about 2,500 returns over 2023–2025.