Meloni’s drive. She seeks allies in the EU and is ‘rejoicing’ over the price cap: ‘Everyone should lend a hand’

In the Czech Republic, he is seeking allies and exploring options ahead of the European Council meeting in mid-October: “We will work with Andrej Babiš on energy and nuclear power”. He is still sending out signals on security. Meanwhile, Giorgia Meloni is gloating over petrol prices and the price cap – which Q8 also adopted yesterday – which certainly does not solve all the problems but takes the wind out of the opposition’s sails and gives motorists some breathing space.

“The response can only be positive. We’ll have to see how long it lasts, but in the meantime this move will lead to significant savings,” says Professor Paolo De Castro, currently chairman of Nomisma and a former minister under D’Alema and later under Prodi. He highlights “the work of moral suasion towards the major oil companies, which deserves praise. According to our monitoring centre, the impact on prices could be even more significant than what we are currently seeing, with oil prices between 103 and 105 dollars a barrel, as we have seen in recent days. Beyond that, it is clear that the problem will only be resolved with the end of the war in Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. This is also recognized at Palazzo Chigi, in the knowledge that high energy prices represent an unknown factor and a significant burden, even for the election campaign. So Meloni’s camp immediately went on the offensive – whilst Matteo Salvini continues to target ‘the big banks’ as well – to claim credit for the right’s action. From Minister Adolfo Urso right through to her sister-in-arms from Italia, Arianna Meloni: ‘The result of a strong government, not a weak left-wing administration’. With varying nuances, they are taking credit for Q8’s decision to follow in the footsteps of Eni and Socar. Meloni thanked Kuwait, and yesterday held talks with Mohamed bin Salman Al-Saud, Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, to reaffirm the commitment regarding Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb and the strength of bilateral relations. These relations are also underpinned by energy interests in the region. Work will continue to ensure that the price cap can also be adopted by smaller operators, but in the meantime, Palazzo Chigi has secured another achievement: Eni, led by Claudio Descalzi, also announced yesterday a 30 per cent discount on gas and electricity bills, prompting a swift response from Enel, which pointed out that “our offer is the lowest on the domestic market” – a 50 per cent reduction – and has been available since April. A downward trend that Meloni hopes will continue: “Eni? I hope other players will lend a hand.” From energy to fuel, not least to avert the risk of strikes.

Despite the sigh of relief following the by-elections in Calabria – with Vannacci’s support limited to 11 per cent – the political situation remains delicate. This is also why the Prime Minister highlighted the education decree in a post (even though at that very moment it was still pending at the State Audit Office), the one containing the anti-burqa regulations and the cap on foreign nationals. And, on the security front, the eviction operation in Tor Sapienza, Rome. Meloni then flew to Prague, as a guest of Czech Prime Minister Babiš, to discuss strategy ahead of the European Council: “operational” and “concrete” proposals, as Meloni puts it, to tackle high energy prices and reform the ETS mechanism. A package of measures aimed at greater transparency and monitoring, and at protecting the industrial sectors most vulnerable to the crisis. Efforts are being made to build a broader consensus on this among European leaders. Among the next delicate steps are the Public Finance Policy Document, expected by Friday, and then the decision on the safeguard clause – the NEC – the 14 billion to be used, in part, for energy, which Italy has requested be activated: only then will the Prime Minister’s actual room for manoeuvre become clearer. This is also in view of the election campaign. Providing immediate responses to rising energy prices will be essential. But the issue of nuclear power – the enabling act approved in recent weeks – will also be a key topic in the coming months: Meloni has spoken of a possible collaboration with the Czech Republic. “At last the debate has been opened; we had to start somewhere. With new technologies, next-generation mini-reactors could be ready in 4–5 years. They have a very different impact on waste compared to the past,” says former minister De Castro, who does not believe in the dichotomy between renewables – “sacrosanct” – and nuclear power. “We happily import it from France, but Spain also has nuclear power stations. Now it’s our turn to kick-start this process.” Despite the ‘no’ votes coming from the left. “It’s ideological opposition. They don’t engage with the substance of the issue, but carry on with slogans. That’s Italy’s problem: it was the case under centre-left governments and it’s the same under the centre-right.”