At the root of the majority of protests around the world, the cost of living is a central theme. European protests are no exception, including the ones that are happening in Italy.
These are economic problems that have compounded over the years, with some arguing that joining the EU and adopting the euro could lie at the heart of the problem.
Italians in their thousands have taken to the streets across the country's main cities to protest a range of issues, including the rising cost of living, the government of Georgia Meloni, and, the wars in West Asia have been other factors.
Another contributing factor is poverty. The poverty rate in Italy has increased since the 2008 financial crisis. 2.1 million households, or around 5.4 million people, were living in absolute poverty in Italy in 2025; 9.3% of the population.
From France to Italy, the EU is plagued by protests that are gaining momentum.
Italy's exit from the EU budget procedure is at risk due to deficit increase, especially with Italy's plan to run a budget deficit above 3% of GDP, both in 2027 and 2028.
This article is based on an episode of the Press TV show, Economic Divide, featuring Lorenzo Maria Peccini, associate professor in political philosophy and geopolitics, and Alessandro Cerroni, founder of Think Bricks Media, Italy's first officially recognized social media manager and a veteran digital marketer.
Protests have now spread to Italy over rising living costs, low wages, and government policies. These problems did not occur overnight but have been brewing since the 2008 financial crisis, yet the Italian government has failed to address the situation.
According to Lorenzo Maria Peccini, “what we see happening is the continuation and the physiological consequence of such a long-term crisis that has been established in Italy, but in general in the whole collective West.”
“Italy is under a kind of pressure led by the Western main powers, which are the USA and the United Kingdom, which stressed the economy to the point of not being able to survive by itself.”
“After 2022, with the beginning of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Italy became one of the main supporters of the Ukrainian path, and with the sanctions imposed by the European Union and by the United States of America against Russia, we had a kind of very problematic cut of many of the resources that we were residing by the Eastern countries.”
“And it's not only a matter of energy and fuel, but it's also for other goods, which were fundamental, especially by the huge investments led by the Russians in our country.”
“The issues that the protesters are now raising are very simple and clear; we cannot afford this anymore, but the responsibility for this is not only up to the people.”
“ It's a kind of context, which has been framed by the political authorities, has been led to become exasperated and to not have any kind of peaceful solution.”
Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni:
Shops looted, windows smashed, law enforcement officers attacked; these are unacceptable scenes that no one should think of downplaying or justifying. That is why today the cabinet approved a decree containing new measures to prevent and combat this violence. These are in addition to those adopted in recent months, starting with biometric identification, including through artificial intelligence, to put a name to those hiding behind a hood.
Lorenzo Maria Peccini notes that “The current protests are the latest opportunity also for political institutions to try to solve these problems peacefully within the democratic framework. However, instead of a peaceful solution, the only way that we can see for the future is an increase in tensions and, of course, bigger and stronger dangers that can arrive in the following weeks.”
Low productivity and slow economic growth
Italy has struggled to increase output per worker due to limited innovation, low investment in research and development, and the prevalence of small businesses.
The European Commission forecasts GDP growth of only 0.5% in 2026.
High public debt
Italy has one of the highest government debt burdens in the EU. Public debt is projected to rise from 137.1% of GDP in 2025 to 138.5% in 2026, limiting the government's ability to invest in public services and economic development.
Lorenzo Maria Peccini declares that there are ‘three main issues which ought to be resolved. The first is being party to the NATO alliance. The second is the European Union. The third one is the currency the euro, which destroyed the national economy when we left our national currency, the lira”
“Something very, very quick and affordable for Italian institutions should be the first to go out from the sanctions to the Russian Federation and to leave from this asset of war, which has been declared by NATO and the European Commission as a kind of compulsory settlement for the whole European countries.”
“We have many new taxes and tariffs due to these two conditions, so removing those taxes and tariffs would really realize a diminution of the expenses and of life costs, which is actually the main problem raised by the protesters. Thus, we would be able to regain our sovereignty and be free of the three main threats that I mentioned before.”
The real protests in Italy are going on in the south
What we are seeing in the mainstream media now are these clashes on the streets in northern Italy with students.
But the real protests are taking place in the south, where truck drivers and farmers are blocking the roads, the motorways, the ports in Sicily, Campania, and Apulia, which has led to shortages at supermarkets and long queues at gas stations.
Such protests, however, are not covered by the mainstream media.
Alessandro Cerroni, founder of Think Bricks Media, concedes that “There is enormous disruption, but it's a peaceful protest and it's for the benefit of the people.”
Vincenzo Aleccia, President of Trapani Trucking Consortium: “The diesel and shipping costs that we are forced to bear today are costs that eventually get passed on to supermarket shelves. Ordinary people, like all of us, go shopping and simply can no longer afford to do so. That's the reality of the situation.”
It's empty everywhere. Yesterday we spent half an hour looking for a pack of water. We just can't take it anymore. [Member of Public 01]
I came to buy just a few things, but you can't find everything in the other stores either. So you have to go around to different shops and see what you can find. [Member of Public 02]
Alessandro Cerroni cautions, “What is going on in Italy is something that has me more worried for the rest of Europe. Because it's not only the students, but it's the active part of the workforce. I mean, the problem in Italy is systemic.”
“It's not one government or another. It's something that we have since the Second Republic, we used to call it. It's the period that changed from the first part of the Second World War, after the Second World War, this First Republic, where we have this electoral system of the proportional, the pure proportional system, when we changed it with the uninominal system.”
“And that changed because of the progress, of the expansion of the European ideal, something that my generation was even happy to embrace, but after all these years under the bureaucrats of Europe, now we are facing a real crisis.”
A weak Labor Market and an Aging Population
Young people face difficulties entering stable employment, some workers emigrate, and the population is aging. More than 15% of Italians aged 15-29 were not in employment, education, or training in 2025, contributing to labor shortages and weaker long-term growth.
The Italian Economy is in need of jumpstarting, but can it be done?
Alessandro Cerroni asserts, “The first step is, let's call it, Italexit, where Italy must escape the European cage, the Euro cage in particular; Italy needs to get back its own monetary system, its own national currency.”
“Because in this way, it's very complicated to make your investment, your policy, and develop the country, because sometimes you need to go over the limits that the balance, the European indication, are pushing to countries.”
“You have to be free to find your foreign policy. Because Italy has this, as I told you, systematic problem also with the foreign policy. We didn't have, never have, a free foreign policy, the possibility to engage with other countries freely as a country without the pressure of the USA or other powers.”
“So the thing is that escaping the cage of Europe could be a possibility for Italy to, I don't know, invest in the private sector, and reduce the taxation to private companies that are the real engine of the economy in Italy. And then maybe grow the salaries.”
“Because in this way, you know, students, good students, smart minds from Italy, they go to work abroad.”
Like other European countries, Italy has also experienced protests, which have at times led to violence.
Seven key issues have contributed to Italians' anger towards the government.
First, the rising cost of living; Italians are facing renewed inflation, particularly in international markets.
In September 2026, annual harmonized inflation reached 4.1 percent, driven partly by higher energy costs linked to conflict in West Asia. Rising prices reduce household purchasing power and make everyday essentials more expensive.
Next, low wages and declining purchasing power: many workers feel that their salaries have not kept pace with living costs.
The OECD reported that real wages, under collective agreements, remained 8.8 percent below their January 2021 level at the end of 2025. This fuels frustration among workers struggling to cover basic expenses.
Next, expensive and inaccessible housing: in major cities, particularly Milan and Rome, high rents and housing costs put pressure on people. Italy's housing crisis leaves 100,000 at risk of eviction. According to statistics released in September, rents have risen 4.4 percent, eating up almost half of many people's wages.
Lorenzo Maria Peccini is adamant that everything is “actually under the control of the Israeli lobbies in Italy, pretty much the same as the American ones. And everything in (not just) our foreign politics, but also in the domestic one, is led by interests of foreign people inside of our national perimeter.”
“This is a kind of issue that belongs to the beginning of the Italian Republic in 1945, after World War II.”
“And of course, this financial situation remains stable and controlled by a kind of institutions which are mainly led by Israeli people, and which are trying to destroy every kind of possibilities of revenge and autonomy for the Italian Republic and for its people.”
“This situation is, of course, pretty complicated and cannot be solved just in a very short time. (23:02) But it's very important to become aware of what it means for the future of our country.”
“Italy is welcoming more and more of this kind of external pressures, which are damaging the entire infrastructure of the state as well as damaging the trust of the people in all the political institutions.”
“And this means that we could have a kind of lack of the representants [sic] in the democratic processes, for which the leaders we have are not followed by people, are not in agreement to love of people, but they are ruling instead of the good of people and destroying the future of the entire nation.”
“And this is only profitable for those entities which are external, and which are trying to transform Italy in not only a colony, not only another example of how they can rule on a country, but they are trying to destroy the civilization of Italy and of all European peoples.”
The economy of Italy has struggled to expand rapidly, with GDP growing by just 0.5% in 2025, with similar modest growth in 2026.
Slow expansion limits the pace of improvements in living standards, business investments and wage growth.
Italy's public debt stood at approximately 137.1% of GDP in 2025, and is projected to rise further.
This debt consumes public services, making it harder for governments to expand healthcare, education, infrastructure and income support, without increasing taxes or borrowing.
Italy relies heavily on imported energy, leaving households and businesses vulnerable to international price shocks; higher electricity, gas and fuel costs, increase production and transport costs, potentially pushing prices higher and weakening the competitiveness of Italian manufacturers and businesses.
Despite improvements in employment, Italy faces persistent challenges involving young people's prospects, regional inequalities and low productivity.
Workers and protesters are demanding better wages, stronger public services and more affordable living conditions.
These grievances contribute to broader dissatisfaction with the government's economic policies.
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