Italy’s Meloni Pushes Through Parliament the Direct Election of the Prime Minister 

By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – Italy’s rightist leader Giorgia Meloni is pushing through parliament a key constitutional reform to boost powers of the head of government by introducing the direct election of the prime minister, which opposition sources warn would concentrate too much power in the hands of one single person.  Last week, right […]

As Foreign Investors Shun Italian Bonds, Domestic Retail Investors Increasingly Buying Public Debt – Sources

By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – Italian business lobbies and Democrat opposition forces voiced concern over foreign investors avoiding Italian bonds, though this is increasingly being counterbalanced by a rise in retail-only securities which is shielding Italy’s soaring public debt. “The Italian debt in the portfolio of foreign investors dropped from EUR 685 billion in […]

Italy’s Meloni Takes More Moderate Stance to Lure Bond Investors, Centrist Voters

By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews)- After more than a year in power, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is getting a ‘political makeover’ to take a more moderate stance and lure investors willing to support the country’s funding needs, say opposition forces. “She’s abandoning her neo-fascist rhetoric and revisiting her hard core, nationalist rightist policies in […]

Italy Puts Brakes on USD-Denominated Bond Issuance for Third Straight Year

—More retail, green bonds to come —Foreign markets not key at present By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – Rome’s rightist government is keeping new issuance of USD-denominated bonds on hold in 2024 for a third consecutive year in light of higher yields and the euro’s weakness, according to ruling coalition sources. Italy is less keen to […]

Italy-Brussels Tensions Rise Over Delayed Tourism Deregulation, EU COVID Funds’ Revised Targets

By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – Tensions between Rome’s rightist government and Brussels are rising over the investments of revised European post-COVID funds and a delay in deregulating key tourist services, warned opposition forces. Democrat officials are concerned that were Italy to fail in “being credible and efficient” in investing the updated post-pandemic aid, and […]

Support for Italian PM Drops Over Deteriorating Economic Outlook

–Little fiscal room for tax cuts  — Govt to raise yearly debt issuance to €350bln By Silvia Marchetti ROME (MaceNews) – For the first time since her appointment as Italian prime minister one year ago, support for Giorgia Meloni is dropping as voters fear she will not deliver promised tax cuts amid a deteriorated outlook […]