The Day Salvini Was Acquitted in the Open Arms Case

The day began with continued focus on the Ukraine conflict, particularly Russia's rejection of a Christmas truce and territorial concessions, alongside new discussions on pension reforms in Italy, extending working times and reducing degree redemption value. Meloni addressed Parliament, reiterating Italy would not send soldiers to Ukraine and viewed Moscow's demands as unreasonable. She also emphasized the need for a solid legal basis for using Russian assets, deeming the EU-Mercosur agreement premature.

In the afternoon, Putin escalated rhetoric, calling European leaders "hysterical piglets" and threatening to take territories by force. However, the dominant editorial shift occurred with the definitive acquittal of Matteo Salvini in the Open Arms case by the Cassation Court, which garnered widespread attention across media outlets and a supportive statement from Prime Minister Meloni.