PADUA, Italy — Last month, the debate in Italy’s Veneto region centered on opposition to the construction of a mosque. Now, in a region home to at least 150,000 Muslims, the focus has shifted from religion to law — and to a new Islamic arbitration chamber in Padua that says it will resolve disputes according to Sharia, the body of Islamic religious law.

“It is not a court, but a chamber that will engage exclusively in arbitration, offering a tool for businesses and individuals who, because of their cultural background and religious beliefs, choose to follow certain principles of Islam,” said Omar Vanin, an Adjunct Professor of International Law at the University of Padua and President of the New Chamber.

The initiative has triggered a political backlash, with Vanin facing calls from Anna Maria Cisint, a European Parliament member from the right-wing League party, to be disbarred.

“But we have legal means to protect our honor and reputation, and if necessary, we will take the matter to the appropriate authorities,” Vanin said after a day of mounting controversy.

The dispute has prompted complaints to prosecutors and parliamentary questions to Justice Minister Carlo Nordio and Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi. At the heart of the controversy is what the chamber will actually do. Its website says it provides “arbitrators bound to decide disputes according to the immutable principles of Sharia law.”

The first tangible development in the dispute came with the opening of an inquiry by prosecutors in Padua. No specific criminal offense has been alleged, and no one has been named as a suspect.

The first politician to intervene was League Leader Matteo Salvini. Announcing plans to visit Padua, he said he had “already brought the matter to the attention of the justice minister and the interior minister.”

“In Italy, there can be no Islamic courts or parallel legal systems,” Salvini declared. “There are only Italian laws, and everyone must abide by them.”

The arbitration chamber, for its part, says it operates within the framework of Italy’s legal system while applying Islamic law in its arbitration proceedings.

Its stated rationale goes beyond the arbitrators’ expertise in Sharia and reflects values it says are important to Muslims. One is confidentiality during dispute resolution.

“This preserves the dignity and reputation of the parties, a fundamental value in Islam, especially in family matters or sensitive cases,” the chamber’s website states.

Another priority is preserving community ties. “The goal is to resolve disputes, often by encouraging reconciliation (Sulḥ), as recommended by the Quran, to maintain harmony and relationships between the parties,” the website says.

The chamber also emphasizes the parties’ control over the proceedings, including the “choice of applicable law.”

The explanations have done little to assuage critics across the political spectrum. Cisint, in addition to Salvini, has filed a complaint with prosecutors in Padua. As Mayor of Monfalcone, she has led a campaign against the city’s Bangladeshi community, closing cultural centers and banning cricket.

The controversy has also drawn the involvement of Futuro Nazionale, a political movement that includes former League members. Gianangelo Bof, a lawmaker who previously belonged to the League, has submitted a parliamentary question to Nordio, arguing that “no system of justice based on Sharia law can replace the courts and laws of the Italian Republic.”

Stefano Valdegamberi, a Regional Councilor who also previously belonged to the League, has announced plans to propose legislation at the national level.

League lawmakers Giulio Centenaro, Erika Stefani and Ingrid Bisa have also filed parliamentary questions.

After repeated calls for action, two undersecretaries at the Justice Ministry — Andrea Ostellari, who is from Padua, and Nicola Molteni — have weighed in as well, pledging “the utmost attention and all necessary checks by the competent authorities.”

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