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

From planned transport strikes to the last of Italy's Carnival celebrations, here's what people living in Italy can expect this week.

Published: 19 February 2024 09:21 CET

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

Visitors have one more weekend to see Viareggio's Carnival celebrations. Photo by FABIO MUZZI / AFP.

Monday

Light rain forecast

Italy can expect to see some light rainfall on Monday, following a weekend of mostly clear weather.

Areas along the Adriatic coast could see some rain in the evening, following isolated showers in Sardinia, Tuscany, Lazio and Sicily on Sunday, forecasters said.

Temperatures were expected to remain mild across the peninsula, with the country currently experiencing highs typically recorded in April.

Tuesday

Housing workers strike

Workers under contract with Federcasa, an association of 114 bodies that build and manage social housing in Italy, have said they will strike on Tuesday to demand a contract renewal.

“We ask that, despite the difficulties, there be fewer budget constraints, more economic resources and the right recognition of skills and professionalism,” the Cgil, Csil and Uil unions said in a joint statement.

Friday

National transport strike

Italy’s Si Cobas union has announced a public and private sector strike on Friday that is expected to affect transport across the country.

As Si Cobas is the only major Italian union backing the walkout it was unclear as of Monday how much disruption would be caused, though Trenord train services in northern regions may be “at risk” according to local media reports.

The union said in a statement it was protesting “against the genocide in Gaza, against the imperialist wars and against the Meloni government”.

A national transport strike is expected to affect train travel in Italy on Friday. Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP.

Weekend

Anti-war demonstrations

Anti-war protesters plan to gather in towns and cities across Italy on Saturday, February 24th, to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The organisers of the protests – Europe for Peace, Assisi Pace Giusta, and the Italian Peace and Disarmament Network – are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the war in Ukraine.

Carnival

Carnival may be over in most of the country, but celebrations continue this weekend in Viareggio, which will have its final masked parade along the Tuscan seafront on Saturday, February 24th.

The Emilia Romagna town of Cento, twinned with Rio de Janeiro’s carnival, will have a parade on Sunday, February 25th.