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☆ An alleged gang rape shocks Italy, and provides fodder for an ascendant far right
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Seven men between the ages of 15 and 18 are currently on trial for the alleged rape of a 19-year-old girl in Palermo in August. Last month’s alleged gang rape in Catania has become not only a symbol of violence against women in the country, but a cause célèbre for Italy’s far-right government. CNN approached the suspect’s lawyers for comment. Meanwhile, during a visit to Catania, Meloni expressed her solidarity with the alleged rape victim and her family. This is not the first case of non-EU minors being welcomed into Italian facilities and then engaging in criminal activities.”

Persons: Rome, Weeks, Last month’s, Giorgia Meloni, Villa Bellini, Orietta Scardino, Matteo Salvini, Meloni, ”, Alessandro Fidone, Giulia Cecchettin, ” Elena Biaggioni, Massimo Di Vita, Carlo Umberto Cannella, ” Cannella, Silvio Berlusconi Organizations: Rome CNN —, Catania, CNN, Catania police, European Data Journalism Locations: Rome CNN — Italy, Sicilian, Catania, Palermo, Naples, Sicily, Italy, Italy’s

☆ Mike Maignan: Subjected to racist abuse, AC Milan star now finds himself being kicked around like a political football
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —A leading soccer goalkeeper, who is Black and was subjected to racist abuse during a match in Italy’s top league last month, now finds himself being kicked around like a political football. Maignan received widespread support from the football world and FIFA President Gianni Infantino called for automatic forfeits for teams whose fans have racially abused players. Maignan speaks with referee Fabio Maresca during the match between AC Milan and Udinese. AC Milan players react after Maignan was racially abused by Udinese fans. ‘Simply shameful’The Maignan incident comes 11 years after another AC Milan star – midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng – made history by walking off the pitch during a friendly match after suffering abuse for 25 minutes.

Persons: Mike Maignan, Stefano Pioli, Maignan, Gianni Infantino, Fabio Maresca, Alessandro Sabattini, Alberto Felice De Toni, “, ” De Toni, ”, De Toni, Pietro Fontanini, Matteo Salvini, Maignan didn’t, ” Fontanini, Jennifer Lorenzini, Fontani, Tobias Jones, Jones, “ They’re, ” Jones, Kevin, Prince Boateng –, Carlo Tavecchio, Valerio Pennicino, Tavecchio, ” Boateng, “ There’s, It’s, it’s, ” Kevin, Prince Boateng, Pro Patria Busto Arsizio, Daniele Mascolo, Anne Frank’s, Samuel Umtiti –, Lameck Banda, Lameck, Manuel Lazzari of, Maurizio Lagana, Infantino, Frenchman Organizations: CNN, AC Milan, French national, Udinese, Frenchman, Serie, Milan’s Serie, Bologna, San, Milan, FIFA, AC Monza, Udinese’s, Lega, Reuters, Football, Black, Lazio, Lega Seria, Serie A, Gazzetta dello, Pro Patria Busto, Shutterstock, AS Roma, French, Ligue, Lille –, Lecce, “ Lazio Locations: Italy’s, Udine, Italy, San Siro, Curva, —, Maignan, England, Russia, Italian, Shutterstock Lazio, Rome, Manuel Lazzari of Lazio, Lazio

☆ Far-right parties eye gains in next year's EU parliament elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Alvise Armellini | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ROME, Dec 3 (Reuters) - European far-right parties met in Italy on Sunday vowing to reshape the European Union after next year's European Parliament elections, toughening the bloc's approach on immigration and softening its climate policies to protect jobs and industry. Parties from around a dozen countries gathered in Florence, galvanised by last month's general elections in the Netherlands, which handed a surprise win to Geert Wilders' anti-immigration Freedom Party (PVV). The far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group is now the sixth-largest in the EU assembly, also behind liberal, green and conservative groups, but current polling data place it in fourth position. Salvini, who has failed to include in his alliance Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her poll-leading Brothers of Italy party, fronted a previous unsuccessful push in 2019 for a far-right breakthrough in EU elections. Wilders hailed Salvini, leader of the League party, as an inspiration and his "number one Italian friend."

Persons: Geert Wilders, Matteo Salvini, Salvini, Giorgia Meloni, Wilders, Tino Chrupalla, Jordan Bardella, righters, Chrupalla, Harald Vilimsky, Vladimir Putin, Chizu Organizations: European Union, Party, League, Marine, Austrian Freedom Party, Thomson Locations: Italy, European, Florence, galvanised, Netherlands, Europe, Germany, Africa, Austrian, Russia, Ukraine, Israel

☆ Italy's Salvini says would consider a sound plan to sell railway stake
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Matteo Salvini, Italian infrastructure minister and deputy PM, attends a news conference for the government's first budget in Rome, Italy November 22, 2022. On Monday Salvini, who is also deputy prime minister, was quoted as saying that he was against selling a stake in the company. But in comments at the Foreign Press Association in Rome, he said his 'no' had referred to the absence of any current sale plans for Ferrovie dello Stato (FS). "If there were an (asset sale) plan that could bring me added value, investments, money ... ($1 = 0.9128 euros)Reporting by Alvise Armellini, writing by Gianluca Semeraro; editing by Gavin JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Matteo Salvini, Remo Casilli, Salvini, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Alvise Armellini, Gianluca Semeraro, Gavin Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Transport, Ferrovie dello Stato, Foreign Press Association, FS, Economy, Salvini's League, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, Italian, privatisations

His party more than doubled in size in parliament to tower over mainstream parties that long specialized in marginalizing him. Suddenly on Thursday, there was hope in the air again for nationalist conservative populists, especially with an European Parliament election coming up in June. Earlier, Slovakia had already turned populist with Robert Fico’s Smer party winning a general election and setting up a coalition government with an ultranationalist party. Wilders calls for a “Nexit” referendum — a Dutch version of Brexit which saw the United Kingdom leave the EU. By nature, Dutch politics rely on coalitions between several parties and no other suitable party has followed Wilders on that.

Persons: Geert Wilders, firebrand Wilders, “, Alice Weidel, Wilders, Robert Fico’s Smer, Viktor Orbán, behemoth, Le Pen, ”, Hendrik Vos, Vos, Matteo Salvini Organizations: Party for Freedom, Law, European Union, EU, France, Inter, Ghent University, League Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, Poland, Netherlands, Germany, Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungarian, France, United Kingdom, Italian, Italy

☆ Praise, fear after Dutch populist Wilders' election win
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dutch far-right politician and leader of the PVV party, Geert Wilders reacts to the exit poll and early results in the Dutch parliamentary elections, in The Hague, Netherlands November 22, 2023. Congratulations to Geert Wilders on winning the Dutch elections!" BELGIAN FAR-RIGHT LEADER TOM VAN GRIEKEN:"I would like to congratulate Geert Wilders on this victory. ITALIAN FAR-RIGHT LEADER MATTEO SALVINI:"Congratulations to our friend Geert Wilders, leader of the PVV and historic ally of the League, for this extraordinary electoral victory. CONSERVATIVE, PRO-BUSINESS VVD PARTY LEADER DILAN YESILGOZ:"It is up to Wilders to show he can form a majority.

Persons: Geert Wilders, Yves Herman Acquire, VIKTOR ORBAN, Geerts Wilders, TOM VAN, SANTIAGO ABASCAL, MATTEO SALVINI, HABIB, KADDOURI, Wilders, FRANS TIMMERMANS, DILAN YESILGOZ, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Bart Meijer, John Irish, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Freedom Party, MARINE, PEN, League, INTERNATIONAL, CONSERVATIVE, Thomson Locations: The Hague, Netherlands, EU, Europe, BELGIAN, Flanders, Paris

☆ Blackstone, Macquarie deny ASPI sale report, pledge commitment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Signage is seen outside the Blackstone Group headquarters in New York City, U.S., January 18, 2023. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Blackstone and Macquarie on Friday dismissed as "completely false" an Italian newspaper report about possible ownership changes at Autostrade per l'Italia (ASPI), pledging their commitment as investors in the motorway operator. Following the 2022 deal, ASPI is controlled by state-lender CDP with funds Blackstone (BX.N) and Australia's Macquarie (MQG.AX). Under JPMorgan's plan ASTM would transfer its assets to ASPI whose shareholders would be CDP, Gavio group and Blackstone. In denying the report, Macquarie said it was committed to the "ongoing delivery of ASPI's multi-billion euro investment programme".

Persons: JP Morgan, Italy's, ASPI, Australia's Macquarie, Macquarie, Blackstone, Matteo Salvini, Elisa Anzolin, Giuseppe Fonte, Valentina Za Organizations: Blackstone Group, REUTERS, Blackstone, La Stampa, ASTM, Benetton, Shareholders, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Macquarie, Ardian, Milan, Rome

☆ Italians face disruption as workers strike over government budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Remo Casilli Acquire Licensing RightsROME, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Italians faced disruption on Friday as transport workers and other public sector employees from two of the country's largest unions went on strike in protest over the government's budget plans for 2024. The CGIL and UIL unions have called a general strike in the central regions of Italy, as well as a walkout by public sector employees across the country. Salvini, who is also transport minister, said he was making sure Italians could still go about their business on Friday. "Yes there is the right to strike, but it's satisfying to protect the right to work for the overwhelming majority of Italians," he told broadcaster Rai's TG2 news programme on Thursday. Striking workers are expected to hold a rally in Rome's central Piazza del Popolo to protest against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Remo Casilli, Matteo Salvini, Maurizio Landini, Salvini, Giorgia Meloni's, Italy's, Keith Weir, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Italian, CGIL, UIL, REUTERS, Rights, la Repubblica, TG2, Union, Thomson Locations: Piazza del, Rome, Italy, Rome's, Piazza

PARIS (AP) — Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators demanding a halt to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza marched in Paris, Berlin and other European cities on Saturday. The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 9,448, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. In Israel, more than 1,400 people have been killed, most of them in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that started the war. Several thousand protesters also marched through the west German city of Duesseldorf. In its Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, Hamas employed paragliders to get some fighters across the border between Gaza and southern Israel.

Persons: “ Israel, “, Emmanuel Macron, “ Macron, ”, Stéphane Drai, paragliders, Matteo Salvini, Yara, John Leicester, Stephen McGrath, Brian Melley, Frances D’Emilio, Silvia Stellacci, Kirsten Grieshaber Organizations: PARIS, Ministry, ”, BFM, Police, London, Metropolitan Police, Prosecutors, Hamas, Palestinian, Gaza University, Associated Press Locations: Gaza, Paris, Berlin, Europe, Israel, France, London, Palestine, ” Paris, République, French, Lyon, German, Duesseldorf, Bucharest, ”, Milan, Rome, Italy, Le Pecq, Romania

☆ Turkey's Erdogan says Hamas is not a terrorist organisation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NO ARCHIVES Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in his strongest comments yet on the Gaza conflict, said on Wednesday the Palestinian militant group Hamas was not a terrorist organisation but a liberation group fighting to protect Palestinian lands and people. "Hamas is not a terrorist organisation, it is a liberation group, 'mujahideen' waging a battle to protect its lands and people," he said, using an Arabic word denoting those who fight for their faith. Erdogan also slammed Western powers that have voiced support for Israel's retaliation against Hamas, saying "Western tears shed for Israel are a manifestation of fraud". Many of Turkey's NATO allies consider Hamas a terrorist group, and Erdogan's comments drew a swift rebuke from Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who said they were "grave and disgusting and did not help with de-escalation". Erdogan accused Israel of taking advantage of Turkey's good intentions.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Murat Cetinmuhurdar, Erdogan, Matteo Salvini, Antonio, Tajani, Salvini, Israel, Gumrukcu, Huseyin Hayatsever, Daren Butler, Gareth Jones Organizations: AK Party, Turkish, REUTERS, Rights, Palestinian, Hamas, AK, NATO, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: Ankara, Turkey, Handout, Rights ANKARA, Gaza, Israel, Turkish, Gaza . Turkey

Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesThe first woman to be Italy's premier, Meloni "won out against Salvini and Berlusconi. Fears for Italy's democracy have proved to be “exaggerated,’’ said Franco, who noted that Italy's president serves as a guarantor of the republic's post-war constitution. Meloni contends the rulings support a long-held belief on the political right that Italy’s magistrates sympathize with the left. Since becoming premier, Meloni has topped surveys of eligible voters, hovering near 30% — compared to the 26% of votes her party garnered in the 2022 election. Currently, Italy's president asks someone likely able to command a parliamentary majority the task of forming a government.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, —, Matteo Salvini, Silvio Berlusconi, Vladimir Putin, Meloni, Salvini, Berlusconi, Massimo Franco, ”, Tommaso Grossi, Ursula von der Leyen —, Joe Biden, ’ ’, Franco, it’s, ” Meloni, Von der Leyen, ″, Roberto Calderoli, Antonio Tajani, Tajani, Meloni’s, “, ″ Grossi, nostalgists, Benito Mussolini, Di Segni, Mussolini, Raf Casert Organizations: ROME, Union, European Commission, EU, Kyiv, Russia’s, Forza Italia, European Policy, White, Italian Rai, European Union, “, Union of Italian, Nazi, Associated Locations: Italy’s, Europe, Italy, Brussels, Rome, Hungary, Poland, Meloni, Ukraine, Lampedusa, Libyan, Tunisia, Italian, Israel, Nazi

☆ Meloni’s Italian job is a lesson for EU’s right
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

This is particularly true of Meloni’s surprise decision in August to tax what she called “unjust profits” by domestic banks. Ill-fated tax credits for building renovations introduced by a previous executive are expected to balloon to up to 150 billion euros, UniCredit analysts reckon. That’s 30 billion euros higher than what the current government predicted in April, or around 1.5% of GDP. That’s Meloni’s biggest Italian lesson for parties like Vox and AfD. CONTEXT NEWSThe Italian Treasury will present new economic targets on Sept. 28, which will be the framework for the country’s 2024 budget.

Persons: Spain’s, Benito Mussolini’s “, Rome ”, Ursula von der Leyen, Meloni, Vladimir Putin, –, Silvio Berlusconi, Matteo Salvini – Meloni, ”, Mario Draghi’s, it’s, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Liz Truss, Meloni’s, Vox, Giorgia Meloni, Francesco Guerrera, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, NATO, European Union, EU, Commission, Economy, Italian Treasury, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, Ukraine, Kyiv, China, Greece, Brussels, British, Italian

Von der Leyen’s spokesman, Eric Mamer, confirmed on Saturday that she would make the trip at the invitation of Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. About 7,000 migrants arrived on Lampedusa from Tunisia this week, and the Red Cross said that 3,800 remained on the island on Friday. A representative told the official that islanders have run out of patience after three decades of coping with arrivals. “Obviously, Italy and Europe can't welcome this massive influx of people, especially when these migrant flows are being managed by unscrupulous traffickers,” she said. As Meloni hosts von der Leyen in Lampedusa, Salvini on Sunday has invited French far-right leader Marine Le Pen to an annual League rally in the northern Italian town of Pontida.

Persons: Ursula von der Leyen, Italy’s, Von der, Eric Mamer, Giorgia, “, ”, Matteo Salvini, Meloni, Salvini, Marine Le Organizations: MILAN, —, Cross, Media, Residents, SKY TG24, League, EU, der, Sunday Locations: Lampedusa, North Africa, Italian, Tunisia, Meloni, Europe, Italy, French, Pontida

CNN —Lampedusa has seen an influx of migrants with 7,000 people arriving in two days, prompting its mayor and the United Nations refugee agency to warn the Italian island is becoming overwhelmed. Alessandro Serranò/AFP/Getty ImagesMigrants from a migrant housing centre on Lampedusa are guided by a security official. The island of Lampedusa is struggling to cope with an influx of migrants. “The over 130 operators and volunteers of the Italian Red Cross are doing beyond the impossible to ensure basic necessities. However, Flavio Di Giacomo, from IOM, said the number of arrivals in Lampedusa now was much higher than before.

Persons: CNN — Lampedusa, Filippo Mannino, ” “, ” Mannino, agency’s, San Marino, Chiara Cardoletti, ” Cardoletti, Lampedusa, Alessandro Serranò, Gerard Darmanin, Darmanin, “, ”, ” Darmanin, Rosario Valastro, ” Valastro, Flavio Di Giacomo, Infrastructure Matteo Salvini, Giorgia Meloni’s, Ursula Von der Leyen Organizations: CNN, United Nations, RTL, UN, UNHCR, International Organization for Migration, Getty, European Union and, Red Cross Italy, Interior Ministry, Libyan Coast Guard, Italy’s, Infrastructure, Italy’s Foreign Press Association, EU, RAI Locations: Africa, Italy, San, Tunisia, Libya, AFP, Germany, Lampedusa, Ventimiglia, Menton, Great Britain, European Union and Great Britain, Europe, Meloni, Brussels

☆ Italy's Lampedusa 'in crisis' with thousands of migrant arrivals - mayor
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Yara Nardi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Migrants wait at the port to be transferred to the mainland, on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, Italy, September 14, 2023. "In the past 48 hours, around 7,000 people have arrived in Lampedusa, which has always welcomed them with open arms," mayor Filippo Mannino told Italy's RTL 102.5 radio. "We stand ready to support Italy and this is what we are doing," a Commission spokesperson said. Preliminary data from Spain, another country on the EU's southern flank, showed the number of migrant arrivals to the Canary Islands more than trebled to 2,891 people in the first two weeks of September. Matteo Villa, a migration data analysis expert from the ISPI think tank in Milan, told Reuters migrant arrivals to Italy this year are close to the record registered in 2016, when more than 180,000 people came.

Persons: Yara, Lampedusa, Filippo Mannino, Giorgia, Matteo Salvini, Meloni, Matteo Villa, Gavin Jones, Alvise Armellini, Federico Maccioni, Corina Pons, Keith Weir, Janet Lawrence Organizations: REUTERS, European Commission, European Union, RTL, Thomson Locations: Lampedusa, Italy, North Africa, Tunisia, Malta, Sicily, Europe, Italian, Budapest, Brussels, Spain, Senegal, Milan, Tunis, Rome, Madrid

☆ VIEW Reactions to EU probe of Chinese electric cars imports
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN"Global markets are now flooded with cheaper electric cars. "So I can announce today that the Commission is launching an anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles coming from China. UK TRADE MINISTER KEMI BADENOCH"I think it just highlights the difficulties that all countries are having with the supply chain for electric vehicles. "China's apparent advantage and cost-competitive imports are already impacting European auto makers' domestic market share, with a massive surge in electric vehicle imports in recent years. At the same time, the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is also a game-changer in the electric vehicle value chain.

Persons: Annegret, URSULA VON DER, LAURENCE BOONE, BRUNO LE MAIRE, Von der, KEMI BADENOCH, MATTEO SALVINI, SIGRID DE VRIES, AIWAYS, ALEXANDER KLOSE, Aiways, KINGSMILL, they've, They've, STUART COLE, AJ BELL, DANNI HEWSON, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, European Commission, European Union, FRENCH FINANCE, EU, League, GENERAL, Volkswagen, BMW, Tesla, INSTITUTE SENIOR, CITI, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, China, Europe, Brussels

☆ Closure of Mont Blanc tunnel between Italy and France postponed
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An aerial view shows the French-side entrance to the Mont Blanc road tunnel which links France and Italy beneath the Alps December 17, 2013. The 11.6 kilometre Mont Blanc tunnel had been due to close from next Monday for 15 weeks for works to be carried out. The closure of the Mont Blanc tunnel would be delayed for a few days at least, Beaune added. A decision on the rescheduling of the Mont Blanc tunnel work is expected next week. The Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels are key to Italy's exports to France, and there were concerns that their double closure would come at heavy economic cost.

Persons: Mont, Robert Pratta, Matteo Salvini, Federica Urso, Armellini, Jean, Stephane Brosse, Keith Weir Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Mont Blanc, France, Italy, Beaune, Frejus, Italian, Mont, Rome, Paris

☆ European stocks dip as Italian banks, downbeat data weigh
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, August 7, 2023. By 0707 GMT, the pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) was down 0.3%. Germany's DAX index (.GDAXI) fell 0.4% after data showed inflation eased to 6.5% in July, but was in line with economist expectations. Shares of Glencore (GLEN.L) slumped nearly 3% after the global miner said its earnings had halved in the first half. Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan and Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Matteo Salvini, Germany's DAX, Shashwat Chauhan, Sruthi Shankar, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: REUTERS, Staff, MIB, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, China, United States, Beijing, Bengaluru

☆ Graffiti artists tag Milan's famed Galleria arcade
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A general view of graffiti on the arch of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the prestigious shopping arcade at the heart of Milan, Italy August 8, 2023. REUTERS/Viviana VenturiMILAN, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Graffiti artists have scaled and tagged the soaring stone entrance to Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the prestigious shopping arcade at the heart of the city. Local police said the group were spotted around 10:20 p.m. (2020 GMT) on Monday night but disappeared before officers could catch them. The 19th century Galleria is home to shops, restaurants and hotels that could have been used to gain access to the site. Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari Writing by Keith Weir, Editing by Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Vittorio Emanuele II, Viviana Venturi MILAN, Emanuele II, Matteo Salvini, Giulio Piovaccari, Keith Weir, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: REUTERS, Galleria, Local, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Milan, Italy

☆ Italy’s bank tax may be anything but “one-off”
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Italy's Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini attends the upper house of parliament ahead of a confidence vote for the new government, in Rome, Italy, October 26, 2022. REUTERS/Guglielmo MangiapaneLONDON, Aug 8 (Reuters Breakingviews) - As summer surprises go, the one Matteo Salvini sprung on Italy’s banking sector on Monday evening was as unwelcome as they get. In a late-night press conference, Italy’s deputy prime minister announced a windfall levy on lenders’ profits to help pay for cheaper mortgages and income tax cuts. The government is looking to raise less than 3 billion euros from the tax, Reuters reported citing sources close to the matter. Shares in Italy’s two largest banks – Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.MI) and UniCredit (CRDI.MI) – dropped more than 5% in morning trading.

Persons: Matteo Salvini, Guglielmo Mangiapane, –, Siena, Francesco Guerrera, headwinds, Peter Thal Larsen, Streisand Neto Organizations: Italy's, REUTERS, Guglielmo Mangiapane LONDON, Reuters, Banco, Banca Monte dei, Twitter, Siemens, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, Spain, Hungary

☆ Italian bank shares slide after government surprises with windfall tax
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Italian banking shares took a beating on Tuesday morning after Italy's cabinet approved a 40% windfall tax on lenders' profits in 2023. As of around 9:45 a.m. in Rome, BPER Banca shares had plunged 8% and Intesa Sanpaolo was down 7%, while Banco BPM, UniCredit and Finecobank all dropped more than 6%. The one-off tax on extra profits will be equal to around 19% of banks' net profits for the year, analysts at Citi estimated based on currently available data. "We see this tax as substantially negative for banks given both the impact on capital and profit as well as for cost of equity of bank shares. Banks are required to pay the tax within six months after the end of the financial year.

Persons: Carlo Nordio, Adolfo Urso, Matteo Salvini, Francesco Lollobrigida, Orazio Schillaci, Palazzo Chigi, Sanpaolo, Salvini, Azzurra Guelfi, Banks Organizations: Enterprise, Transport, Agriculture, Health, Palazzo, Ministers, BPER Banca, Banco, European, Citi, Citi Equity Research, UCI Locations: Italy, Rome

☆ Italy approves 40% windfall tax on banks, to be limited to 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO-Matteo Salvini, Italian infrastructure minister and deputy PM, attends a news conference for the government's first budget in Rome, Italy November 22, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File PhotoROME, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Italy's cabinet on Monday approved a 40% windfall tax on banks for 2023, with proceedings to be used to help mortgage holders and cut taxes, the deputy prime minister said. Salvini said the 40% levy on banks' extra profits that amount to several billion euros will feed items such as a reduction of the tax wedge, tax cuts and financial support to holders of mortgages on first homes. The Italian government, including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, repeatedly criticised the ECB over repeated interest rate hikes. Reporting by Angelo Amante and Federico Maccioni; Editing by Leslie Adler and Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Matteo Salvini, Remo Casilli, Salvini, Giorgia Meloni, Angelo Amante, Federico Maccioni, Leslie Adler, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, European, Reuters, Treasury, ECB, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy

☆ Once Wary, Biden to Host Italy’s Meloni at the White House
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Peter Baker | More About Peter Baker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In forming a coalition government after last September’s elections, Ms. Meloni became the first far-right nationalist to lead Italy since Benito Mussolini. Like the former president, Ms. Meloni came to office with a long record of skepticism of Western alliances. But Ms. Meloni has shown that she is in charge when it comes to Ukraine. To Washington’s delight, Ms. Meloni has been drawing away from China. Valbona Zeneli, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, said Western leaders misjudged Ms. Meloni after her election.

Persons: Brothers, Meloni, Benito Mussolini, Biden’s, Donald J, Trump, “, Viktor Orban, Matteo Salvini, Silvio Berlusconi, ” Mr, Berlusconi, Vladimir V, Putin, Valbona Organizations: Conservative Political, Conference, Council’s Locations: Italy, Italian, United States, Germany, France, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, China, Beijing

☆ Why are far-right parties on the march across Europe?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Far-right parties are propping up coalitions in Finland and Sweden. Afraid of losing voters to UKIP (and other far-right parties), the governing Conservatives ended up adopting many of its positions. Chesnot/Getty Images Europe/Getty ImagesConversely, far-right parties have attempted to sanitize some of their rhetoric, hoping to appear a more credible electoral prospect. Leon Neal/Getty ImagesA different type of populismAnd so the recent successes of far-right parties cannot be explained by dramatic shifts in public opinion. A lot depends on the ability of mainstream parties – particularly on the left – to build tents big enough to accommodate their differences, rather than compromising with far-right parties to prop up their coalitions.

Persons: Donald Trump, –, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel’s, Mario Draghi, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Viktor Orban, Andrej Babis, Czech Michael Bloomberg, Czech Donald Trump, Meloni, Mussolini, Nigel Farage, Jack Taylor, Farage, Jean, Marie Le Pen, Marine, Lionel Jospin, Jacques Chirac, Petteri Orpo, Sanna Marin, Vilhelm Junnila, Ulif Kristersson, Mark Rutte’s, Pen, Chesnot, Philippe Marlier, ” Le, Matteo Salvini, Vladimir Putin, Tino Chrupalla, Alice Weidel, Thomas Lohnes, Omer Messinger, Larry Bartels, Boris Johnson, Leon Neal, Giorgia Meloni, Odd Andersen, Orban, Kaczynski, Rutte’s, Pedro Sanchez Organizations: CNN, White, Channel, European Central Bank, Italy’s, Vox, UK Independence Party, UKIP, European Union, EU, Conservatives, National, Socialist, Socialists, Finns Party, Swedish, Sweden Democrats, Rassemblement National, University College London, Lega, Ukraine, Russia, Former British, Italy's, NATO, Getty, Spain’s Locations: United Kingdom, United States, Europe, Brussels, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Czech, France, Finland, Sweden, Austria, European, Netherlands, Russian, Oxfordshire, Vilnius

☆ Italy foreign minister Tajani succeeds Berlusconi as Forza Italia chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, July 15 (Reuters) - Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was elected on Saturday as leader of Forza Italia, the conservative party founded 29 years ago by billionaire media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi who died last month. "I am receiving an almost impossible inheritance," he told the Rome gathering of Forza Italia's national, European and local representatives. Forza Italia is the junior partner among the three main parties in Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government, behind the premier's own Brothers of Italy and Matteo Salvini's League. Recent polls put Forza Italia's support at about 7%, behind the League on around 10% and Brothers of Italy close to 30%. After beginning his political activity in a tiny monarchist movement in the 1980s, Tajani joined Forza Italia when it was founded in 1994 and was Berlusconi's spokesman in his first government that year.

Persons: Antonio Tajani, Silvio Berlusconi, Tajani, Berlusconi, Matteo Salvini's, Gavin Jones, David Holmes Organizations: Forza Italia, Forza Italia's, League, Thomson Locations: Italy, Brussels, Rome, Giorgia

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