Italy’s Salvini dares lawmakers to vote to put him on trial

ROME (AP) — Italy’s right-wing opposition leader Matteo Salvini is daring fellow senators to vote to put him on trial for alleged kidnapping for keeping migrants aboard a rescue ship when he was interior minister last year. The Senate commission on parliamentary immunity meets Monday evening to decide. No matter what the outcome, no immunity can be lifted until the entire Senate has its say in February. Italy’s governing center-left parties fear that Salvini will exploit any lifting of immunity to garner sympathy in a crucial Jan. 26 regional election which he hopes his anti-migrant League party will win. Salvini says he acted to safeguard Italy’s borders.