Italy's Supreme Court Council Omits Northern Regions from High Mafia Density List

On 11 June the Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura (CSM) issued a resolution designating zones of high mafia density. The list covered southern Italy and Lazio but excluded northern regions such as Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia‑Romagna and Milan. The decision sparked protests from mayors in Emilia‑Romagna and associations like Libera, who sent a letter to President Sergio Mattarella, CSM vice‑president Fabio Pinelli and the council’s fifth commission, arguing the exclusion ignores documented criminal activity.

Prosecutor Alessandra Dolci, former head of the anti‑mafia office in Milan, criticised the move, stating “Chi non sa non vede” (those who do not know do not see) and warning that the omission risks rendering the mafia “invisible”. She cited more than 9 450 investigative acts recorded in Milan’s district between July 2022 and June 2024, recent anti‑mafia operations such as Hydra and Aemilia, and the presence of ‘ndrangheta, Camorra and Cosa Nostra consortia in the north. Critics argue the decision could hinder anti‑mafia efforts and the fight against economic infiltration in cooperative and insolvency sectors.