Overview

• The Italian government's draft hunting law reform has been postponed after Environment Ministry negotiators flagged conflicts with the EU Birds Directive.
• Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Coldiretti president Ettore Prandini are reportedly driving the reform, sidelining Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida.
• Proposed changes include night hunting, reduced protected zones, extended seasons, and profit-driven hunting estates, raising ecological and public safety concerns.
• Environmental groups and opposition parties denounce the draft as unconstitutional and a threat to wildlife, vowing strong resistance to its passage.
• Informal consultations with the European Commission are being sought to address legal inconsistencies before reintroducing the bill for approval.