About: Italy
Italy’s Conte calls for European populism, battles hostile MEPs
Europe has lost touch with its people, Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday (12 February), amid heavy criticism from MEPs.
Italy’s 5-Star tries to undermine tunnel to France
Italy’s transport ministry insisted on Tuesday (12 February) that a planned railway tunnel underneath the Alps to France would be a waste of money, in what could ratchet up tensions between Rome and Paris.
Slovenia accuses Tajani, Salvini of World War II revisionism
Slovenia accused European Parliament president Antonio Tajani and Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini of historical revisionism Monday (11 February) over statements they made at a ceremony commemorating Italian victims of World War II massacres.
Italy’s populist leaders pledge to replace central bank’s top brass
Italy's populist leaders on Saturday (9 February) promised to replace top officials at the country's central bank, who they said must pay for failing to prevent a spate of banking scandals in which thousands lost their savings.
‘Yellow vests’ cause diplomatic crisis between France and Italy
A meeting between the French ‘yellow vests’ and the Italian labour minister, Luigi Di Maio, has lit a fuse between Paris and Rome. The relationship between the two countries has deteriorated in recent months. EURACTIV Frace reports.
Italian government divided over Huawei, amid US pressure
The Italian Ministry of Economic Development refuted claims made by "government officials" on Thursday (7 January), following allegations that the country is set to ban Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE from taking part in the implementation of Italy's 5G infrastructure.
Engine trouble: EU struggles to attune diplomacy in Brussels
The rise to power of anti-EU populists in some member states is making it harder for the European Union to agree common statements on fast-moving foreign crises, diplomats say, raising a threat to the bloc's prized "soft power" status.
Slovakia declines to back Venezuela’s Guaidó as diplomats gather in Montevideo
Slovakia declined to recognize opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate head of state on Wednesday (6 February), joining Italy in breaking the coordinated action of European Union nations and the United States.
France says ‘unacceptable’ that Italy’s Di Maio met ‘yellow vests’
The French foreign ministry on Wednesday (6 February) denounced as "unacceptable" a meeting between Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio and France's "yellow vest" anti-government protesters.
No more ships to rescue migrants in the Mediterranean
Italy’s decision to block the ship of German NGO Sea-Watch in the port of Catania, Sicily, means that there are currently no ships from humanitarian organisations to rescue migrants in the Mediterannean. EURACTIV’s media partner Euroefe reports.
ECR’s Zahradil: Orban is happy where he is in the EPP
European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) will not only survive the loss of their UK MEPs this year but hope to be even stronger after the European elections in May, Jan Zahradil, the ECR's Spitzenkandidat, said during a debate organised by the Union of European Federalists (UEF) in Brussels last week.
EU’s Iran payments vehicle ready – but stuck
A payment mechanism the EU hopes will save the Iran nuclear deal by bypassing US sanctions is ready, diplomats said Monday (28 January), but is held up by disagreements among European countries.
Merkel champions multilateralism, Conte and Sánchez share two different visions in Davos
German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected the so-called new approach and its questioning of international systems and instead championed multilateralism, while Italy and Spain's prime ministers presented two different visions of the world.
Eurogroup kick off race for ECB chief economist, Ireland’s Lane puts name forward
Ireland presented Philip Lane’s candidacy as chief economist at the European Central Bank on Monday (21 January), as the Eurogroup opened calls for nominations in a relaxed first session of the year.
France summons Italian envoy over Di Maio Africa comments
France has summoned Italy's ambassador to protest against comments by Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio, who accused Paris of continuing to colonise Africa and causing people to migrate from the continent, a government source told AFP.
Malta disembarks migrants sparking Italy government clash
Forty-nine migrants disembarked in Malta on Wednesday (9 January) after spending more than two weeks stranded on board rescue ships, ending a standoff in which EU countries had refused to offer them a safe port.
Far-right policies see Italy’s democracy ranking plummet
The policies of Italy's anti-immigrant and anti-establishment government which came to power last June have torpedoed the country's global democracy ranking, a think tank said Wednesday (9 January).
Italy’s Salvini attacks France, Germany over shipbuilding intervention
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini attacked France and Germany on Tuesday (8 January) over their role in a European Union investigation into a planned merger involving Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.
Italy’s Salvini visits Poland to discuss eurosceptic alliance for EU elections
Italy's far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and the leader of Poland's ruling party, Jarosław Kaczynski, will discuss on Wednesday (9 January) the possibility of forming a eurosceptic alliance to contest the European Parliament elections in May.
Italian minister Di Maio shows support for French ‘yellow vests’
Luigi Di Maio, the Italian deputy prime minister and leader of the 5-Star Movement (M5S), likened the French ‘yellow vests’ to his own political movement. Moreover, he openly criticised the French government. EURACTIV France reports.
Pope urges EU to show ‘solidarity’ with migrants stranded off Malta
Pope Francis on Sunday (6 January) urged EU leaders to show "concrete solidarity" with 49 migrants stranded on NGO ships off the coast of Malta who have been refused permission to land.
ECB installs temporary administrators at Italian bank
Supervisors at the European Central Bank (ECB) said on Wednesday (2 January) they had ordered temporary administrators to take over floundering Italian lender Banca Carige after most of its board resigned.
2019 LOOKAHEAD: New brand of social upheaval takes shape ahead of EU elections
The yellow vests in France and Belgium may be only the tip of the iceberg of a major social upheaval ahead of the European elections, with a common denominator: people protesting their worsening living standards do not want to be represented by the existing political forces.