Complementary Protection and the Test of Integration: Insights from the Florence Tribunal’s Decree of 4 December 2025

 Complementary Protection and the Test of Integration: Insights from the Florence Tribunal’s Decree of 4 December 2025

The recent decree issued by the Tribunal of Florence on 4 December 2025 (R.G. 12055/2024) adds a decisive contribution to the ongoing debate on the scope and function of complementary protection in Italy after the legislative reforms introduced by Decree-Law 20/2023. The ruling confirms a judicial approach that remains firmly anchored to constitutional guarantees and international obligations, even as the legislative landscape has become more fragmented.
The full decree is publicly available at the following link: https://www.calameo.com/books/008079775a54122e54b1f.

The Florence Tribunal examined the case of a Moroccan citizen whose application for international protection had been rejected by the Territorial Commission. Despite the administrative denial, the court reconstructed the relevant legal framework with precision, highlighting that the core of Article 19 of the Italian Consolidated Immigration Act remains unchanged: Italy may not remove or return a person to a State where there is a risk of torture or inhuman treatment, nor when removal would violate constitutional or international obligations.

What emerges clearly from the ruling is that, even after the repeal of certain provisions in 2023, complementary protection continues to operate as a constitutional safeguard. The Tribunal explicitly refers to the pre-2020 jurisprudence of the Court of Cassation, especially the landmark decisions of 2018, 2019 and 2021, which defined the comparative assessment between the applicant’s integration in Italy and the conditions awaiting them in their country of origin.

In this specific case, the court found compelling evidence of strong social and economic integration: stable employment culminating in an open-ended contract, secure housing, progress in Italian language acquisition and a demonstrated commitment to long-term settlement. These are not merely formal indicators, but concrete elements that give substance to private and family life—interests protected under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Tribunal emphasised that a forced return would almost certainly result in a serious deterioration of the applicant’s living conditions, especially considering the weakening of familial and social ties in Morocco. This decisive decline, when weighed against the level of integration achieved in Italy, triggers the constitutional limits on expulsion and activates the obligation to grant complementary protection.

The ruling also reiterates an important operational principle: where removal would contravene constitutional or international obligations, the issuance of a residence permit for special protection is not optional but mandatory. No public-order concerns were identified, underscoring how the individual’s overall integration becomes central to the court’s decision-making process.

For legal practitioners and policymakers, the Florence decree serves as a reminder that complementary protection remains a vital instrument within the Italian system—one that cannot be restricted through legislative shortcuts. Territorial Commissions are required to conduct a genuine comparative assessment, rather than rely on schematic or overly narrow interpretations of vulnerability.

In a broader context, the ruling contributes to an evolving jurisprudence that seeks coherence in an area marked by frequent legislative intervention. Its publication helps clarify the standards that should guide administrative decision-making and judicial review in cases involving individuals who have built a substantial, lawful and meaningful life in Italy.

The full text of the decision can be consulted and downloaded here: https://www.calameo.com/books/008079775a54122e54b1f.

Avv. Fabio Loscerbo