Domestic Policy
Milan: The Court of Cassation ruled that the Milan Prosecutor’s Office had no grounds to order the arrest of the seven individuals investigated in the urban planning case, rejecting the appeal by prosecutors led by Tiziana Siciliano. The involved administrators, architects, and builders were accused of being part of a supposed “cartel” that allegedly influenced the city’s urban development. House arrest was revoked for Manfredi Catella, Alessandro Scandurra, and Andrea Bezziccheri, and restrictive measures were annulled for Giancarlo Tancredi, Giuseppe Marinoni, and Federico Pella.
Justice: In an interview with Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, published in Sole 24 Ore, conducted during the 28th Congress of Young Lawyers in Bergamo, Nordio clarified that “the reform is not driven by political revenge or vengeance, but rather by the need to rebalance powers between the judiciary and the legislature.” He emphasized that “the judiciary has never attacked politics nor sought to replace it.” Regarding the reform of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM), he stated that “the current danger, in my view, is different—namely, that the CSM’s unity and the merging of judge and prosecutor roles may erode the impartiality that must characterize judges.”
Foreign Policy
Albania: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama met at Villa Doria Pamphili in Rome, signing an agreement to strengthen economic cooperation between Italy and Albania across sectors including infrastructure, defense, security, energy, migration, and innovation. Meloni reiterated Italy’s role as Albania’s top trading partner and expressed hope for Albania’s EU accession. Rama announced the construction of seven ships in Albania through a joint venture with Fincantieri. Meloni also expressed regret over obstacles hindering the operation of the two migrant centers built in Albania.
United States: The U.S. House of Representatives will decide next week on the full release of the so-called “Epstein Files”—documents and emails belonging to financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019. The Oversight Committee intends to disclose another 20,000 pages, potentially implicating former President Donald Trump, who dismissed reports of his ties to Epstein as “fake news” while avoiding answering many questions. Many Republicans are expected to vote in favor, fueling suspicions and tensions around the tycoon, with potential political implications and implicit blackmail risks arising from the revealed emails.
Economy and Finance
Budget Law: Forza Italia has proposed an amendment to the Budget Law to tax the revaluation of gold held by savers at a preferential one-time rate of 12.5%, potentially generating up to €2 billion and replacing other fiscal measures unpopular with the party. This initiative also stems from tensions within the governing coalition over dividends, IRAP, short-term rentals, and bank windfall profit levies. Meanwhile, the government is preparing new tariffs on extra-EU packages under €150, particularly those arriving from China. Key unresolved issues remain concerning post-earthquake reconstruction and the Superbonus, which risks halting thousands of construction sites.
Poste Italiane: Poste Italiane closed its first nine months with its best results since its listing: revenues reached €9.6 billion (+4%), adjusted operating profit stood at €2.5 billion (+10%), and net profit amounted to €1.77 billion (+11.2%). All divisions contributed to growth, with logistics and parcels up 12%, financial and insurance services expanding strongly, and Postepay growing. Synergies with TIM, in which Poste is now the largest shareholder at 24.81%, are also taking shape. In the first quarter of 2026, Poste Mobile will rely on TIM’s repeater network for mobile telephony and data services.