Italian Court: Parts of Immigration Law Illegal

The ruling comes at a bad time for Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who is struggling to keep his four-party coalition together. The constitutional court rejected an article on deportation saying that an illegal immigrant could be expelled from the country without the right to appeal or have access to defence. The court also ruled against a part of the law which states that an illegal immigrant can be arrested if he or she remains in the country within five days of being ordered to leave. The Italian right-wing party Lega Nord described the court’s decision as "absurd" and "ideological" adding that "it goes against the interests of the country." The ruling was welcomed by the opposition. It comes at a time when Italy is still trying to decide the fate of 37 African shipwreck victims rescued at sea by a German refugee aid ship Cap Anamur who were allowed after some days to land in Sicily. (EUobserver.com)