Justice Undersecretary Jacopo
Morrone, a member of the rightwing populist League party, has
caused a stir by calling on the Italian judiciary "to eject its
leftwing factions".
Magistrates union ANM called his call "extremely serious and
unacceptable" while the effective head of the judiciary's
self-governing body, Giovanni Legnini, urged Justice Minister
Alfonso Bonafede to take action.
Legnini, deputy head of the Supreme Council of Magistrates
(CSM) - President Sergio Mattarella is the titular head - said
freedom of association was guaranteed by the Italian
Constitution, for magistrates too.
He said Morrone's words on the leftwing factions were
"neither shared not accepted".
He said "the value of freedom of association cannot be
denied".
Bonafede is a member of the League's partner in Italy's new
populist government, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement
(M5S).
Morrone's call came as League leader and Interior Minister
Matteo Salvini reiterated that he wants to talk to President
Sergio Mattarella following a court order for almost 49 million
euros to be seized from his party.
"I must have the joy and honour to speak to my president as
soon as possible," Salvini said during an event at the interior
ministry.
"I ask for, and respectfully await, the setting of a date to
talk about the many wonderful things we are doing".
On Tuesday the supreme Cassation Court ruled that League
party funds should be seized "wherever they are" in relation to
to a case of alleged misappropriation.
League founder and former leader Umberto Bossi was among
several people convicted in relation to the case at the
first-instance trial.
On Thursday Italian magistrates union ANM said that an
eventual appeal for Mattarella to intervene would be
unconstitutional.
Te president's office has reportedly denied it has been in
contact with Salvini aides with a view to setting up a meeting,
according to the Italian media.
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