Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has presented a bill to withdraw his own country from the WHO.
Salvini wrote in a post on X: “This morning the Federation presented its bill to LEAVE the WHO (World Health Organisation), as the US did with Donald Trump.”
“Italy no longer has to deal with a supranational power centre – richly funded by Italian taxpayers – that goes hand in hand with multinational pharmaceutical companies.”
He added: “Let’s use this 100 million to support the sick in Italy and fund our hospitals and doctors!”

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini has put forward a legislative proposal to follow in the footsteps of Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). Salvini, who leads the far-right League party, announced on social media Thursday evening that he had presented the bill to the Chamber of Deputies earlier that day. In his statement, Salvini argued that Italy should cease its involvement with what he described as a “supranational power center” that is generously funded by Italian taxpayers and closely aligned with multinational pharmaceutical companies. Instead, he proposed redirecting the funds, which he estimated at 100 million euros, towards supporting Italian patients and financing the country’s hospitals and medical professionals.
As of now, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is known to be one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe, has not publicly commented on Salvini’s proposal. According to a spokesperson for Meloni, as reported by AFP, the Prime Minister has not yet formulated a position on the matter. This proposal from the League comes in the wake of President Trump’s executive order signed on Monday, which initiated the process of withdrawing the United States from the WHO.
The potential withdrawal of major countries like the United States and possibly Italy has already begun to impact the WHO’s operations. In response to these developments, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Thursday that the organization is implementing measures to address what he termed a “more acute” financial situation. These measures include freezing recruitment and significantly reducing travel expenses.This move by Salvini and the potential implications of Italy following the United States in withdrawing from the WHO could have far-reaching consequences for global health cooperation and the organization’s ability to respond to international health crises. The situation remains fluid as other countries and international bodies await further developments and consider their own positions on the matter.
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