Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni appealed for political unity Thursday after meeting opposition leaders to discuss a wave of cyber-related security alerts that disrupted schools and raised concerns about Italy’s preparedness against digital threats.
The meeting at Palazzo Chigi came one day after 6,000 schools received anonymous bomb-threat emails, triggering evacuations, inspections and widespread alarm before authorities determined there was no concrete danger. Media reported new threats on Thursday targeting schools.
Meloni told opposition leaders that the government wanted to share information on the recent incidents, including hacker-related activities and the false bomb alerts targeting schools. According to participants, she said the meeting was not intended to replace a formal briefing to parliament and urged cooperation across party lines.
Attending the talks were opposition leaders Elly Schlein, Giuseppe Conte, Nicola Fratoianni, Angelo Bonelli, Matteo Renzi, Riccardo Magi, Carlo Calenda and Edoardo Ziello, along with deputy premiers Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini and several senior ministers.
After the meeting, opposition leaders said they were willing to cooperate but pressed the government to provide more details and concrete proposals.
“We welcome the discussion, but it must continue in the appropriate venues, namely parliament and COPASIR,” said Democratic Party leader Schlein, referring to parliament’s intelligence oversight committee. She said the opposition remained available to collaborate but would not give the government a “blank check.”
Five Star Movement leader Conte said there was “maximum willingness” to cooperate but argued that the government should develop the proposals.
“The country was brought to a standstill yesterday by emails. We cannot allow that,” he said, urging clearer protocols and faster action to strengthen cyber defenses.
Nicola Fratoianni, leader of the Left Ecology and Freedom party within the Green-Left Alliance, said the opposition asked why authorities could not prevent the school email campaign despite similar incidents in the past. He also called for increased funding for cybersecurity.
The government has said the recent incidents form part of a broader pattern of cyber threats and disinformation efforts aimed at creating disruption and uncertainty. Schools reopened normally Thursday.