Italy's Interior Ministry reports 10% crime drop in first half of 2026, sea arrivals halved

Crime figures

Italy's Interior Ministry released its traditional Ferragosto security dossier on August 15, 2026, comparing the first six months of 2026 with the same period of 2025. Total reported crimes fell 10%, from 1,186,268 to 1,068,240. The decline spans all major categories: voluntary homicides dropped 15.3% to 138, thefts fell 11.4% to 437,800, robberies decreased 12.3% to 12,515, sexual violence declined 7.1% to 3,142, and frauds including cyber frauds fell 9.5% to 137,529. The report notes that overall crimes in 2025 had already decreased 1.8% compared to 2024, following a peak in 2024 when crimes reached 2.38 million, up 5.5% from 2022.

Female homicides and the new femicide law

Homicides with female victims, grouped with femicides in the report, fell from 54 in the first half of 2025 to 34 in the same period of 2026, a 37% reduction. The data requires clarification: the new crime of femicide under article 577-bis of the penal code entered into force only on December 17, 2025. Of the 34 victims, 26 were classified as voluntary homicide and 8 under the new femicide provision. Il Fatto Quotidiano reports that the low application reflects practical difficulties with the law's psychological categories, described as substantially impossible to prove. On the prevention side, police commissioner warnings rose 10.7% to 4,582, with domestic violence warnings up 24.1% to 3,247, while stalking warnings fell 12.3% to 1,335.

Immigration and repatriations

Sea arrivals dropped 52.1% to 14,388 in the first half of 2026, compared with 30,060 in the same period of 2025. The full year 2025 closed with 66,316 arrivals, in line with 2024. Repatriations increased 34.3% to 4,432, up from 3,301, with expulsions accounting for 3,825 (+28.5%) and voluntary assisted returns jumping 87.3% from 324 to 607. Blocked departures through cooperation with Libya and Tunisia fell nearly 50%, from 40,016 as of July 31, 2025 to 20,157 as of June 30, 2026. The ministry calculates 275,463 irregular landings avoided since 2023. International protection applications examined rose 47%. Sole 24 Ore reports that Piantedosi, during a Schengen Commission hearing, cited approximately 17,000 arrivals in 2026, referencing the diplomatic rift with Madrid over the Ceuta crisis.

Anti-terrorism and public order

From October 2022 to June 30, 2026, 254 individuals deemed dangerous were repatriated, including radicalized subjects and suspected terrorists. In the first half of 2026, 38 such repatriations occurred (+80.9%), five minors were arrested, and 156 foreign fighters were monitored (+1.3%). Cyber attacks on critical infrastructure fell 17% to 4,082, while cyberterrorism attacks dropped 23.3% to 89, with 84 individuals under investigation (+71%). The ministry reported 6,101 public housing units liberated through 313 evictions since October 2022, with 2,613 units freed between July 2025 and June 2026 alone, an increase of nearly 500% from the 527 of the previous year. Evictions of buildings of particular relevance in metropolitan cities rose to 95 from 60.

Minister's response and operational data

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi presented the figures as evidence of government effectiveness, citing increasingly capillary territorial control through high-impact operations and designated urban "red zones."

All crimes of greater social alarm are decreasing: homicides, and in particular those with female victims, sexual violence, thefts and robberies.

Piantedosi also stated that security is the precondition of every personal freedom. Firefighters carried out 508,182 interventions in the first half of 2026, including 116,281 for fires and explosions, 38,633 structural failures, and 30,580 road accidents. Railway station controls covered 2.5 million people (+6.8%), with 625 arrests (+12%). Drug seizures rose 179.9%. Open reports that officers injured during protests increased 62% despite fewer protest events, while Il Fatto Quotidiano notes that new police force hiring fell to less than half of last year's level.