November 4, 2025, a straightforward speech, devoid of rhetoric, as is rarely heard in politics.
The Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto speaks as a man of the institutions, but with the frankness of someone who knows the military world well.
In front of the Joint Operational Command (COVI), Crosetto charted the course:
“Defense must have efficiency as its guiding principle. We must not sacrifice the necessary capacity standards on the altar of inclusion.”
A true Defense reform is needed
For the minister, law 244 of 2012 – which sets the military personnel limit at 170,000 units – is now outdated.
We must throw away law 244. The spirit with which it was born is dead. Personnel must be increased and made more efficient.
Crosetto indeed believes that the current threshold is not compatible with today's operational needs.
We need 30,000 more units, we must reach 200,000 military personnel. The Germans have about 280,000. And it will take 6 or 7 years for an air defense minimally comparable to that of Israel.
An ambitious goal, which fits into the perspective of a stronger and more interoperable national Defense with European and NATO allies.
Strade Sicure has run its course
Crosetto announces the intention to end the Strade Sicure operation:
When I think that 6,800 military personnel across Italy are on the streets, I believe it is time to strengthen the Police Forces and return the military to their original work. The operation was useful, but today it has run its course.
A clear position: the military must return to focusing on strategic security and defense, not public order.
Efficiency before inclusion
One of the strongest parts of the speech concerns personnel selection.
The Armed Forces must be efficient, not inclusive. We must start talking about requirements. There cannot be a single selection system: those who go into Special Forces, those who pilot drones, or those who operate in the field must have different standards.
A call for meritocracy and operational functionality, at a time when technological modernization imposes new professional profiles and new skills.
More attention to personnel well-being
The minister does not forget the human dimension of those who serve the Nation:
It is not possible for those transferred to Rome to fall into poverty because their salary is halved by rents
Crosetto highlights the need for housing and welfare policies dedicated to military personnel, to ensure dignity and stability for those called to defend the country.
The Armed Forces will speak in Parliament
Finally, a symbolic but significant announcement:
In Parliament, they will speak, the Armed Forces, not a deputy minister or a minister. It is time for those who serve the State to have a direct voice in the reform process.
A statement that sounds like a commitment: to give true centrality and representation to the men and women in uniform, protagonists of national security.
A return to the essence of the military function
With clear words and decisive tones, the Minister of Defense sends a message of change: more efficiency, more personnel, less bureaucracy.
A return to the essence of the military function: serving the Nation with competence, discipline, and pride.
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