Latest news with #ItaliaViva
The Guardian
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Giorgia Meloni faces awkward weekend at funeral of pope whose values she opposed
It is an awkward weekend for Giorgia Meloni. The Italian leader will host a gathering of world leaders to say goodbye to a much-revered pope whose public views – from the treatment of people fleeing war to the climate crisis – were diametrically opposed to hers. While Pope Francis was a staunch advocate for asylum seekers, and blessed the vessels that saved refugees at sea, Meloni once said Italy should 'repatriate migrants back to their countries and then sink the boats that rescued them'. Close allies of Meloni are attending, including the US president, Donald Trump, who Francis sharply criticised for his anti-immigration stance, saying: 'Anyone who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian.' Also flying in is Argentina's president, Javier Milei, who at various times called the pontiff an imbecile and a representative of the 'evil one'. In a joint session of parliament on Wednesday, Meloni cited how the pope 'gave back a voice to those who did not have one'. The words of Italy's prime minister were sharply criticised by opposition parties in parliament. The leader of the centre-left opposition Democratic party, Elly Schlein, said: 'Francis does not deserve the hypocrisy of those who deport migrants, take money from the poor, deny the climate emergency and deny care to those who cannot afford it.' The former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi of Italia Viva was equally scathing. 'It is very funny that each of us seeks to grab a little piece of his legacy,' he said. Addressing the government's members, he added: 'Your detention camps for migrants were a disgrace to Pope Francis.' On big issues, Meloni and the pope could not have been further apart. The climate emergency was for Francis a moral and spiritual crisis demanding a radical and systemic response, whereas for Meloni the ecological transition is subordinate to economic competitiveness and national interest. In economics, the pope denounced the 'culture of waste', criticising a system that values people according to their productivity and calling for an economy in the service of human dignity. Meloni, meanwhile, has abolished subsidies for the poor and cut healthcare. 'There was a huge gap between the two,' said Francesco Galietti, the founder of Policy Sonar, a political consultancy in Rome. 'Meloni bet on Atlanticism, on a close rapport with Trump, while Bergoglio [Pope Francis] was by no means pro-American nor a friend of Trump. There was also a divergence in geopolitical vision: Francis pursued a policy of rapprochement with China, whereas under Meloni Italy withdrew from Beijing's ambitious belt and road initiative.' But on a personal level, they appeared to be friendly, even friends. 'Despite this,' Galietti added, 'the friendship between Meloni and the pope was allegedly genuine. They spoke in Spanish and met often. This should come as no surprise: after all, the pope, who grew up under Argentina's Videla dictatorship, was forced to coexist with generals in uniform far to the right of Meloni.' Meloni has long publicised her personal rapport with Francis, frequently citing details of their conversations in public speeches. Many political observers and media outlets described the prime minister's strategy as an 'operazione simpatia', an attempt to win over her electorate by highlighting her friendship with one of the most beloved pontiffs. With the death of Francis, Meloni has lost someone politically, and possibly personally, important to her. 'Francis accepted Meloni's history, her self-portrayal as an underdog,' said Prof Alberto Melloni, a church historian at the University of Modena-Reggio Emilia and the Unesco chair on religious pluralism and peace. 'Once Bergoglio told me he liked the PM because she was 'a woman of the people'.' The professor said the crucial question for Meloni was whether the next leader of the Catholic church would also play a useful role. 'If the pope does not sympathise with them, he won't let them off so lightly.'
Bloomberg
17-04-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Europe Should Focus on Gas in Trump Tariff Negotiations, says former Italian PM Renzi
"Trump could try to exchange a reduction in tariffs with an agreement of gas, and maybe also in defense," says former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Renzi, a serving Senator and leader of the Italia Viva party adds that Italy "needs globalization." He argues that Europe should nominate "one voice" to negotiate with President Trump, advocating for Mario Draghi. (Source: Bloomberg)
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oyster tax breaks could save fishermen after crab invasion
They may evoke images of luxury living and Champagne dinners, but oysters could be made cheaper in Italy to help battle an invasive crab. The Italian government wants to drastically cut VAT on oysters from 22 per cent to 10 per cent, making them more affordable for families of modest means. The hope is that reducing the price will boost demand and provide a lifeline for Italian fishermen who have been hard hit by the arrival of the Atlantic blue crab. The invasive species, which is thought to have been brought accidentally to the Mediterranean in the ballast water of commercial shipping, using its powerful pincers to tear into and devastate populations of fish, clams, mussels and prawns in Italian waters. The impact has been particularly acute in the Adriatic Sea, which is home to thousands of fish farms. Oysters have been largely unaffected because their hard shells protect them from the powerful claws of the voracious blue crab, and should no longer be viewed as a luxury for the elite, said Francesco Lollobrigida, the country's agriculture minister and a close ally of Giorgio Meloni, the prime minister. 'In this way we will help save the fishermen who have been brought to their knees by the blue crab,' said the minister, speaking at a tasting event to promote oysters in the Italian Senate, the upper house of parliament. Alberto Balboni, a senator and a member of Ms Meloni's conservative Brothers of Italy party, said many aquaculture businesses along the Adriatic coast were in acute difficulty because of the blue crab. 'Helping them is really important,' he said. 'All other shellfish have a VAT of 10 per cent. It's hard to understand why oysters are not the same.' A consortium of aquaculture organisations said in a statement: 'In the collective imagination, oysters are associated with luxury, but they really shouldn't be. It's important to promote their consumption.' Italy produces around 500 tons of oysters a year, said the organisations. But opposition parties mocked the idea, comparing the minister's proposal to the supposed 'let them eat cake' declaration made by Marie Antoinette when told her subjects were starving during the French Revolution. Italia Viva, a centre-Left party, posted an image on Instagram in which Mr Lollobrigida appeared as the ill-fated French queen. 'Majesty, the people are hungry,' the caption read. 'Give them oysters!' the minister replies in the spoof image. Other opposition MPs said the government had its priorities wrong. 'The minister says VAT on oysters should be reduced to 10 pr cent because they should be essential products, while tampons, powdered milk and nappies would appear to be luxury goods given that the Meloni government increased VAT on them from 5 per cent to 10 per cent,' said Nicola Fratoianni, from the opposition Green and Left Alliance. Blue crabs have caused €100 million of damage so far to the fishing industry in Italy, according to the agricultural lobby organisation Coldiretti. Cristiano Corazzari, the politician in charge of fisheries for the Veneto region, which includes Venice, said recently that the impact of the blue crab has been like 'an earthquake'. He said the production of clams has been cut by more than 90 per cent because of the invasion. 'It's been devastating. The crab has a very high reproduction rate. And it eats everything that it finds,' he said. Fishermen who catch the blue crab in vast quantities are trying to create a domestic market for the species. Italy is also exporting blue crabs to countries such as the US, South Korea and Sri Lanka, but it is still not enough to put a dent in the population. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
05-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Oyster tax breaks could save fishermen after crab invasion
They may evoke images of luxury living and Champagne dinners, but oysters could be made cheaper in Italy to help battle an invasive crab. The Italian government wants to drastically cut VAT on oysters from 22 per cent to 10 per cent, making them more affordable for families of modest means. The hope is that reducing the price will boost demand and provide a lifeline for Italian fishermen who have been hard hit by the arrival of the Atlantic blue crab. The invasive species, which is thought to have been brought accidentally to the Mediterranean in the ballast water of commercial shipping, using its powerful pincers to tear into and devastate populations of fish, clams, mussels and prawns in Italian waters. The impact has been particularly acute in the Adriatic Sea, which is home to thousands of fish farms. Oysters have been largely unaffected because their hard shells protect them from the powerful claws of the voracious blue crab, and should no longer be viewed as a luxury for the elite, said Francesco Lollobrigida, the country's agriculture minister and a close ally of Giorgio Meloni, the prime minister. 'In this way we will help save the fishermen who have been brought to their knees by the blue crab,' said the minister, speaking at a tasting event to promote oysters in the Italian Senate, the upper house of parliament. Alberto Balboni, a senator and a member of Ms Meloni's conservative Brothers of Italy party, said many aquaculture businesses along the Adriatic coast were in acute difficulty because of the blue crab. 'Helping them is really important,' he said. 'All other shellfish have a VAT of 10 per cent. It's hard to understand why oysters are not the same.' A consortium of aquaculture organisations said in a statement: 'In the collective imagination, oysters are associated with luxury, but they really shouldn't be. It's important to promote their consumption.' Italy produces around 500 tons of oysters a year, said the organisations. But opposition parties mocked the idea, comparing the minister's proposal to the supposed 'let them eat cake' declaration made by Marie Antoinette when told her subjects were starving during the French Revolution. Italia Viva, a centre-Left party, posted an image on Instagram in which Mr Lollobrigida appeared as the ill-fated French queen. 'Majesty, the people are hungry,' the caption read. 'Give them oysters!' the minister replies in the spoof image. Other opposition MPs said the government had its priorities wrong. 'The minister says VAT on oysters should be reduced to 10 pr cent because they should be essential products, while tampons, powdered milk and nappies would appear to be luxury goods given that the Meloni government increased VAT on them from 5 per cent to 10 per cent,' said Nicola Fratoianni, from the opposition Green and Left Alliance. Blue crabs have caused €100 million of damage so far to the fishing industry in Italy, according to the agricultural lobby organisation Coldiretti. Cristiano Corazzari, the politician in charge of fisheries for the Veneto region, which includes Venice, said recently that the impact of the blue crab has been like 'an earthquake'. He said the production of clams has been cut by more than 90 per cent because of the invasion. 'It's been devastating. The crab has a very high reproduction rate. And it eats everything that it finds,' he said. Fishermen who catch the blue crab in vast quantities are trying to create a domestic market for the species. Italy is also exporting blue crabs to countries such as the US, South Korea and Sri Lanka, but it is still not enough to put a dent in the population.
