A row over the government's migrant-security decree continued on Monday with the governors of Piedmont, Umbria and Emilia-Romagna joining Tuscany and Calabria in saying their regions would appeal against the package to the Constitutional Court.
The legal move comes after some leftwing mayors rebelled against the decree, including Palermo's Leoluca Orlando, who said his local authority would not apply it.
The decree was drafted by Interior Minister and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini, who has said it will create order in the management of asylum seekers and boost security.
Critics, however, say it unfairly strips some migrants of access to healthcare and other local services and will see thousands of people ejected from the legal reception system, creating potential criminals.
"I've had confirmation from our legal department, which is discussing this issue with their colleagues in Tuscany, that the legal conditions exist for an appeal to the Constitutional Court," Piedmont Governor Sergio Chiamparino told Sky television.
"By impeding the renewal of permits to stay for humanitarian reasons, the decree will have repercussions on the management of health and welfare services that are our responsibility". The Umbria regional executive, meanwhile, approved a motion to challenge the legislation, saying it was "clearly unconstitutional".
Lazio Governor Nicola Zingaretti, meanwhile, said he would not close SPRAR asylum seekers' assistance centre.
He also said the regional government was weighing an appeal to the Consultation Court against the government's migrant-security decree that allegedly strips asylum seekers of their right to healthcare, social housing and other local services.
Zingaretti said he had instructed Lazio health agonies not to stop treating anyone "no matter what their social and economic conditions are".
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