The Political Section is responsible for political relations between the United States and the Italian Republic.

It analyzes Italian domestic and foreign affairs and advocates U.S. Government policies with Italian officials, parliamentarians, politicians, academic institutions/think tanks, civil society leaders, and foreign diplomats.

The Section works to advance U.S. positions and increase bilateral cooperation across a broad range of issues, including political-military relations, foreign policy, and law enforcement coordination.

The Section is headed by a Minister Counselor for Political Affairs, and includes a Political-Military Unit (headed by a Pol-Mil Counselor), and officers and staff members specializing in Italian foreign relations and domestic affairs.

Internal Political Affairs
Officers cover issues relating to Italian national and local government, Parliament, and political parties, as well as social issues such as human rights, immigrant integration, and religious freedom.
The staff tracks daily developments in Italian politics and maintains relationships with Italian political figures.  The staff also tracks developments in the judicial system and organized crime.
The office prepares the Congressionally-mandated Country Report on Human Rights Practices, the Trafficking in Persons Report, and the International Religious Freedom Report.

External Affairs
Officers analyze and report on Italian foreign policy developments, coordinating with the Italian government on a wide range of foreign policy issues of mutual concern.
A primary point of contact for these political topics is the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with whose representatives the officers have close working relationships.

Political-Military Affairs
The Pol-Mil Unit works in conjunction with U.S. military counterparts to handle all issues concerned with the U.S. military presence in Italy, the Italian-U.S. security relationship (including our partnership within NATO), and Italian defense spending and programs.
Working with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Ministry of Defense, the Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, think-tanks, and other contacts, the Pol-Mil Unit fosters and promotes U.S. policy objectives in support of our numerous shared strategic security objectives.