Court of Auditors Blocks Key Approval for Sicily–Mainland Bridge Project

On October 29, 2025, Italy’s Court of Auditors, which oversees public-spending scrutiny and financial legality of state-backed projects, released a terse statement rejecting the key plan by the Giorgia Meloni government to build a massive suspension bridge linking Sicily to the mainland. The damning verdict effectively places a €13.5 billion project on hold and poses a significant political setback for the right-wing administration. 

The proposed structure, known as the Strait of Messina Bridge, was expected to span 3.7 kilometers across the strait with a 3.3-km central suspended span, making it the largest single-span suspension bridge in the world. The project has a long, checkered legacy, having been approved, canceled and revived multiple times since the 1960s. 

According to the ruling, the Court of Auditors found insufficient financial justification and legal legitimacy in the plan’s current form. While the decision does not permanently terminate the project, it significantly delays its implementation. Prime Minister Meloni immediately described the ruling as an “intolerable intrusion” by magistrates into government policy. Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini condemned the decision as “political” and pledged to explore alternative paths to push the project ahead. 

The bridge—not merely a landmark infrastructure project—was also positioned by the government as a strategic asset for Italy’s economic redevelopment in the south and a symbol of national engineering ambition. Supporters claimed it would create over 120,000 jobs annually and boost connectivity for Sicily and Calabria. 

However, critics have highlighted a number of enduring concerns. These include the geological and seismic risks in the Messina Strait, one of southern Italy’s most earthquake-prone regions, as well as environmental damage, high costs, and historic links to organized crime infiltration in public works. These issues helped fuel opposition from environmental groups, financial watchdogs and local stakeholders. 

Moving forward, the government may seek to override the Court’s comments through parliamentary or executive channels, but any such step is likely to invite further scrutiny and may require revised contracting, renewed environmental assessments, or a fresh public tender. Without approval from the Court of Auditors, financing and start-date projections are uncertain. Late-2025 construction start ambitions may now be pushed further into the 2030s.