Lega threatens to block defence plan as clash erupts between Salvini and Crosetto

Guido Crosetto, Italy’s defence minister, said the navy will handle the protection of Italian vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait without waiting for the EU Aspides mission. His remarks arrived as the Lega, led by Matteo Salvini, criticized the slowdown in approving an enlarged “Strade sicure” mission that Salvini hoped to announce in Pontida. Salvini warned that the party might also oppose Crosetto’s newly proposed “patto contro le ingerenze russe,” a measure echoing European leader Ursula von der Leyen’s stance.

The internal rift follows a parliamentary stalemate on a resolution to increase troops for “Strade sicure,” which was delayed after concerns from Fratelli d’Italia and other coalition partners. Meanwhile, the Lega held a meeting in Milan with regional leaders Attilio Fontana, Massimiliano Fedriga, Luca Zaia and Maurizio Fugatti to discuss broader policy priorities. The confrontation highlights tensions between foreign-policy initiatives and domestic political bargaining within the governing coalition.