Parliamentary Ombudsman addresses Italian Regional Public Defenders in Palermo

Parliamentary Ombudsman addresses Italian Regional Public Defenders in Palermo

Published July 09, 2026

The Parliamentary Ombudsman of Malta and Vice President of the European Regional Board of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, addressed the meeting of the Coordinamento Nazionale dei Difensori Civici, the national coordination body bringing together the Public Defenders of the Italian Regions. The meeting was held at the Palazzo dei Normanni, seat of the Sicilian Regional Assembly in Palermo.

Judge Zammit McKeon is participating in two events in Palermo at the invitation of the Public Defender of the Lazio Region, Dr Marino Fardelli, who serves as National Coordinator of the Coordinamento Nazionale dei Difensori Civici. In addition to addressing the coordination meeting, the Parliamentary Ombudsman will also speak at a conference entitled Il Difensore Civico che manca: il caso Sicilia, dedicated to the absence of a regional Public Defender in Sicily.

Addressing the meeting of the National Coordination, the Parliamentary Ombudsman focused on the importance of establishing a national Ombudsman institution in Italy that would complement, rather than replace or diminish, the role of the regional Public Defenders. Drawing on constitutional principles and comparative European experience, he argued that the existence of a national Ombudsman would strengthen the overall system of administrative oversight while fully respecting the autonomy and competences of regional institutions. He noted that such a model would provide Italy with stronger national and international representation while enhancing the protection of citizens' rights.

Referring to Spain as a successful example, the Ombudsman explained how the Defensor del Pueblo operates alongside the Ombudsmen of the Autonomous Communities within a highly decentralised state. He highlighted that the Spanish experience demonstrates how national and regional Ombudsman institutions can cooperate effectively, share best practices, and exercise complementary functions without conflicts of competence. Such a coordinated system, he observed, reinforces good administration, strengthens the protection of fundamental rights, and promotes greater public confidence in democratic institutions.

During the visit to Palermo, the Parliamentary Ombudsman and the participating delegates also paid a courtesy call on Hon. Emanuele Dipasquale, Deputy Quaestor of the Sicilian Regional Assembly and the President of the Regional Council of Liguria, Hon. Stefano Balleari. The meeting focused on the role of Ombudsman institutions within democratic systems and the importance of maintaining effective dialogue between oversight bodies and legislative institutions.