The standoff lasted nearly three weeks and made headlines around the world: other EU countries offered to take in the migrants, NGOs intervened, and Hollywood actor Richard Gere stepped forward. invited on the ship as a sign of solidarity.
The migrants were finally allowed to disembark on the Italian island of Lampedusa following a court decision.
Mr Salvini has received support from several foreign leaders and figures, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, US billionaire Elon Musk and far-right French MP Marine Le Pen.
General strike in Italy to denounce the budget, Salvini activates minimum service
Despite their personal differences, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose executive has also put legal obstacles in the way of the ambulance ships, has also taken up his cause.
This trial concludes while the Meloni government is facing judges over its own migration policy.
Magistrates have in fact opposed his attempts to speed up the processing of asylum requests, particularly in two new centers managed by Italy in Albania.
Justice was able to prosecute Mr. Salvini after the lifting of his parliamentary immunity by the Italian Senate in 2020.
