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WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

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

From new passport services at post offices around the country to the Day of National Unity and St Patrick's Day, here’s what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 11 March 2024 10:36 CET
Italy, March 17th
The aerobatic unit of Italy's Air Force performs a flyover over Rome on March 17th 2013. Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP

Monday

Voter registration deadline for EU nationals in Italy

Non-Italian EU nationals living in Italy have until midnight on Monday, March 11th to register to vote in the European Parliament election next June.

Voters are required to fill out the registration form available on the Italian Interior Ministry’s website and deliver it either electronically or in person to the mayor of their comune of residence.

People who have previously voted in a European election in Italy don’t have to register as their name will already be in the electoral roll.

British nationals in Italy are excluded from voting in the EU election following Brexit.

Passport issuance and renewal available at selected post offices

As of Monday, March 11th, it’ll be possible to request a passport or renew an existing one in a number of post offices around the country as part of the government’s Polis Project – a nationwide scheme to digitalise citizen services and streamline bureaucracy. 

The new passport issuance services will be available in some 7,000 offices (thus involving a total of 16 million residents), all located in municipalities (or comuni) with up to 15,000 inhabitants. A full list of comuni involved in the initiative should be released by Poste Italiane in the coming days.

Applicants will be asked to submit the necessary documentation directly with the post office staff, who will then process it and send it to the relevant police station (Questura). Once completed, the passport will be delivered straight to the applicant’s home address. 

Wednesday

Nationwide railway maintenance staff strike

Train passengers around the country may experience disruption on Wednesday, March 13th as track maintenance staff at Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), which owns and manages all of Italy’s railway network, plan to strike for eight hours, with the start and end times of the walkout varying from region to region.

There is currently no further information on how the protest may impact train travel during the day as RFI hasn’t provided any relevant details yet.

You can keep up with the latest updates on this and other protests in March in The Local’s strike news section.

Saturday

Italy take on Wales in Six Nations’ final round

The final round of the 2024 Six Nations Championship will see Italy’s national rugby team take on Wales at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Saturday, March 16th.

The game will be broadcast free of charge on TV8 (channel eight on most TV sets in Italy), with kickoff set for 3.15pm Italian time.

Last week Italy beat Scotland to claim their first Six Nations home win since 2013.

Sunday 

Italy’s Day of National Unity

Though it isn’t an official holiday, which means you won’t get time off work for it, March 17th is one of the most patriotic days of the year in Italy as the country celebrates the Day of National Unity, or Giornata dell’Unità Nazionale.

March 17th is the country’s birthday as the Kingdom of Italy was officially founded on March 17th 1861 (before then, the peninsula was split into multiple rival states and regions).

Official ceremonies are held every year to mark the occasion, including the laying of a laurel wreath before Rome’s Altare della Patria monument by the president.

St Patrick’s Day

Sunday, March 17th will also mark St Patrick’s Day, which commemorates Ireland’s patron saint and, more broadly, Irish culture and heritage.

Celebrations aren’t as widespread in Italy as in some other countries but most major cities will still offer a number of Paddy’s Day-themed events over the weekend.

For instance, both Rome and Milan will hold an Ireland Week this year – a full week of events including traditional Irish dance performances, live music concerts and Irish food experiences.

Rome marathon

The 2024 edition of the Rome marathon will take place on Sunday, March 17th. 

The 42-kilometre race will start and finish at the Fori Imperiali, with the start time set for 8.30am.

Two parallel events will also take place on the day: the Run4Rome relay race and a five-kilometre fun run in the Circo Massimo area. Further details can be found on the marathon’s official website.

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For members

WHAT CHANGES IN ITALY

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

From a nationwide public transport strike to talks over a contested electoral reform, here’s what to expect in Italy this week.

Published: 5 May 2024 10:23 CEST
On the agenda: What's happening in Italy this week

Monday

Nationwide public transport strike 

Commuters in Italy may face delays and/or cancellations on Monday, May 6th as staff at public transport operators around the country plan to strike for 24 hours. 

The protest, which is backed by some of Italy’s largest transport unions, may affect the normal operation of bus, subway and tram services but shouldn’t impact scheduled interregional and long-distance train journeys. 

The level of disruption caused by the walkout will vary from city to city, with services in large metropolitan areas currently expected to be among the most heavily affected. 

READ ALSO: The transport strikes that will hit travel in Italy in May 2024

All public transport operators in Italy are required to provide a number of ‘minimum services’ (servizi minimi) during strikes, but their exact times will vary by city and operator. 

Rai journalists’ 24-hour strike 

Scheduled TV and radio programmes from Italy’s state network Rai may be subject to changes at the start of this week as journalists with the broadcaster plan to take part in a 24-hour strike starting at 5.30pm on Monday, May 6th and ending at 5.30pm on Tuesday, May 7th. 

The walkout was called by reporters’ trade union Usigrai in late April in protest against “the suffocating control” exerted over their work by the current right-wing administration and recent attempts “to reduce Rai to a megaphone for the government”, the union said.

Tennis fever in Rome

The 2024 edition of the Internazionali d’Italia – Italy’s most prestigious tennis tournament – will unfold at Rome’s Foro Italico venue from Monday, May 6th to Sunday, May 19th.

Rome’s city council has estimated that some 350,000 fans will attend this year’s tournament.

A general view of the Nicola Pietrangeli court during the Internazionali di Roma tennis tournament

A view of the Nicola Pietrangeli court during the Internazionali di Roma tennis tournament in May 2023. Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP

Wednesday

Senate to discuss plan for direct election of PM

Italy’s upper chamber of parliament will on Wednesday, May 8th, discuss a contested draft law proposing an overhaul of the country’s electoral system.

The planned reform would change article 92 of the Italian Constitution, allowing voters to directly elect the prime minister, creating a system which critics say isn’t found in any other democratic nation in the world.

Thursday

Turin’s International Book Fair

The Salone Internazionale del Libro – Italy’s largest book fair – will return to Turin’s Lingotto Fiere exhibition space on Thursday, May 9th.

As usual, the festival will feature a variety of talks, shows and workshops, with Vita Immaginaria (‘Imaginary Life’) being the central theme of this year’s edition.

Further info on the event can be found here.

Sunday

Air traffic controllers’ strike at Milan’s Malpensa airport

Passengers flying to or from Milan’s Malpensa airport may face disruption on Sunday, May 12th as staff at air traffic control agency Enav plan to strike from 1pm to 5pm.

At the time of writing, no airline had announced changes to the departure or arrival time of scheduled flights to or from Malpensa on Sunday, but potential delays or cancellations couldn’t be ruled out. 

All passengers planning to fly to or from Malpensa on May 12th are advised to check the status of their journey with the relevant airline before setting off.

An interior view of Terminal 1 at Milan's Malpensa Airport

An interior view of Terminal 1 at Milan’s Malpensa Airport in March 2008. Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP

Mother’s Day

Sunday, May 12th will mark Italy’s Mother’s Day (or Festa della Mamma in Italian).

Formally established in 1958, Italy’s Mother’s Day originally fell on May 8th but was moved to the second Sunday of May in 2000 to align the Italian calendar with the American one.

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