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WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week

From strikes to the formation of the new government, here’s a look at the key events you should know about.

Published: 17 October 2022 10:07 CEST
On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week
Italy's Quirinale presidential palace in downtown Rome. Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP

Monday, 17th

Work continues on forming new government

Italy is now in the process of creating its new government following elections at the end of September. 

After the reopening of parliament and some very controversial appointments as speakers for both houses last week, on Monday those speakers will summon MPs for the formation of the new parliamentary groups and the election of each group’s chairman (the so-called capogruppo).

Once both procedures are completed, all the pieces will finally be in place and the head of state, Sergio Mattarella, will be able to start consultations for the appointment of Italy’s new prime minister and their cabinet.

READ ALSO: When will Italy have a new government? 

Tuesday, 18th

Literary festival in Rome

Rome is holding a literary festival this week in honour of American poet T.S. Eliot one hundred years after the publication of The Waste Land (known in Italian as ‘La terra desolata’), widely regarded as one of the most important poems of the 20th century.

The three-day Città Luogo di Poesia festival runs from the 17th to the 21st of October at Rome’s Casa delle Letterature and the Ciak theatre, and includes poetic readings, workshops and a theatrical performance.

Wednesday, 19th

Start of government consultations – Barring any setbacks in the formation of the new parliamentary groups on Monday, Italian President Sergio Matterella will be able to start consultations on Wednesday, October 19th. 

The head of state will confer with house speakers Ignazio La Russa and Lorenzo Fontana first and then with the parliament’s capigruppo. Mattarella will also consult with individual party leaders.

The Italian Constitution doesn’t set a time limit for the president’s consultations, which last until a potential government is identified that would be capable of winning a vote of confidence in parliament.

This time, given the clear parliamentary majority achieved by the right-wing bloc, consultations are not expected to take long – perhaps as little as two or three days. 

Brothers of Italy party leader Giorgia Meloni at the start of the vote for the new Senate president. Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP

Friday, 21st

Air traffic operators strike – Staff from national air traffic control company ENAV (Ente Nazionale per l’Assistenza al Volo) are planning to hold a 24-hour strike on Friday, October 21st.

It’s unclear at the moment how the strike will affect air travel on the day, though delays and/or cancellations cannot be ruled out.

The strike was called by Italian unions Filt-Cgil, Filt-Cisl and Uiltrasporti in an ongoing dispute over working arrangements and contracts.

Saturday, 22nd

Protest in Rome

There may be some disruption in central Rome on Saturday due to a demonstration against work-related injuries and deaths planned by trade unions for 10am in Santi Apostoli.

The protest is due to a startlingly high number of workplace accidents in Italy, many of them fatal: the latest figures show 400,000 accidents with 600 deaths in 2022 alone. As a result, protesters are demanding better safety standards in various types of workplaces across Italy.

Sunday 23rd

Food festivals

Italy’s autumn programme of food and drink festivals continues. This weekend, events include Palermo’s Funghi Fest (Mushroom festival), on the 21st-23rd October.

READ ALSO: Nine things to do in Italy this autumn

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WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week

From Liberation Day celebrations to the first weekend of Venice's 'tourist tax', here’s what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 21 April 2024 08:07 CEST
On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week

Monday

Train strikes in Lombardy and Veneto

Staff at Trenord, which operates regional trains in the Lombardy region, were set to strike from 3am on Monday, April 22nd to 2am on Tuesday, April 23rd for a total of 23 hours.

Trenord stated that regional services, including airport links, may be subject to “changes and/or cancellations” but minimum services were guaranteed to operate from 6am to 9am, and from 6pm to 9pm on Monday. 

Should airport train services be cancelled, replacement buses will run the same routes, the statement said. See Trenord’s website or app for the latest updates.

Trenitalia staff in the Veneto region also planned to strike on Monday, with the walkout set to start at 9am and end at 5pm.

Both interregional and regional services headed to or departing from cities and towns in Veneto may experience delays or cancellations over the course of the strike, according to the latest media reports.

Trenitalia will operate a number of guaranteed services (servizi garantiti) during the strike. See their website for further details. 

Spring’s shooting stars

The Lyrid meteor shower, one of spring’s most fascinating celestial events, is expected to peak during the night between Monday, April 22nd and Tuesday, April 23rd, with an average of 20 meteors expected to cross the sky every hour  

The phenomenon will be visible to the naked eye, though strong lunar light may ‘conceal’ some of the weaker meteors this year.

The best way to catch the shooting stars is to find Vega, the brightest star in the Lyra constellation, which appears in the eastern section of the night sky this time of the year, and wait for the magic to happen. Should you have a hard time finding the star, the Mappa Stellare mobile app might be able to help you.

Thursday

Italy commemorates the fall of Fascism

Thursday, April 25th is Liberation Day (or Festa della Liberazione), which is when Italians celebrate the fall of the Fascist regime and the end of German occupation.

Liberation Day is a national public holiday in Italy, meaning that you’ll get a day off for it. Public offices, schools and most shops will be closed on the day, while state-run museums and archaeological sites will be open, with free admission for all visitors. 

READ ALSO: Why does Italy celebrate Liberation Day on April 25th?

The annual event marks the date in 1945 when Italy’s National Liberation Committee incited a popular insurrection against Nazi-Fascist forces. The uprising eventually resulted in the liberation of all occupied territories and in the capture and execution of Fascist leader Benito Mussolini in Milan.

Liberation Day is one of Italy’s most heartfelt national holidays and is marked by official ceremonies as well as marches featuring renditions of the Bella Ciao anthem.

Venice introduces controversial ‘tourist tax’

Venice will run the first trial of its new fee system for day trippers from Thursday, April 25th to to Sunday, May 5th.

Day trippers (or turisti giornalieri) looking to access Venice between 8.30am and 4pm on these dates will have to pay a five-euro entry fee under local authorities’ plans to regulate crowds and lessen the impact of mass tourism on the city. 

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How will Venice’s ‘tourist tax’ work?

Though early plans suggested day trippers would be able to pay the fee at various info points around the city, the charge can currently only be paid by registering on a new online portal.

Besides the 11-day period from April 25th to May 5th, the fee will come into force on all of the remaining weekends in May and June as well as the first two weekends of July.

Friday

Street Photo Festival in Rome

The sixth edition of Italy’s Street Photo Festival will return to Rome on Friday, April 26th, giving photography enthusiasts a chance to attend three days of workshops, photowalks, talks, and exhibitions.

Among the highlights of this year’s festival, renowned English photojournalist Martin Parr will hold a talk at 7.30pm on Saturday, with admission being free of charge. 

Further info on this and other scheduled events can be found here.

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