Meloni under pressure – farmers are heard in San Remo – News

The farmers’ protests in Italy are met with understanding among the population. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni must act.

In San Remo, Italy has been looking for the most beautiful canzone – the most beautiful song – all week long. But the coastal city in northwest Italy is much more than just the glittering stage of popular Italian music.

Because in San Remo a lot of what is going on in the country socially or politically always comes to the floor. Yesterday it was agriculture.

Moderator Amadeus read out a communiqué from the farmers in an almost solemn manner. It said: We receive far too little money for the majority of our products. They don’t even cover our production costs. We don’t want financial aid or subsidies, we want fair prices for our products.

I want a price for my products that covers my costs.

A full 68 percent of Italian receivers were set to San Remo yesterday. Millions of citizens heard and saw the desperate appeal of the farmers.

Yesterday, Friday, the police for the first time had four tractors driven to the city center, to the palazzi, for a very symbolic march on Rome. One of the farmers said exactly what had already been heard in San Remo. “I want a price for my products that covers my costs.”

You hear from farmers again and again: “You get 40 cents for a kilo of lettuce, but in the store a kilo of lettuce is washed and packaged and sold for 10 euros.” That is unfair. In addition, the prices for diesel, gasoline and electricity are rising, as are taxes. Or: Because of the drought, you have to water constantly, which also costs money.

Meloni’s brother-in-law as a bogeyman

Surveys show: eight out of ten Italians understand the concerns of farmers. This puts Giorgia Meloni’s government under a lot of pressure. Also because Meloni didn’t promote just anyone, but her brother-in-law, to the position of Minister of Agriculture.

Francesco Lollobrigida, a member of the Meloni family, is now the bogeyman. Yesterday, under great pressure, he made a first concession to the protesters: 90 percent of all companies should benefit from a tax discount.

Legend:

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni next to her brother-in-law, Francesco Lollobrigida.

Keystone/RICCARDO ANTIMIANI

But not everyone is satisfied with this tax gift: “A Zuccherino, a little piece of sugar was given to them.” There has to be more to come, a farmer told the RAI television station.

Government is not pulling in the same direction

What is worrying for Meloni is that not everyone in her government is pulling in the same direction. Matteo Salvini, the head of the Lega, has been photographed with protesting farmers for days and promises even more gifts. Salvini, who is far behind Meloni’s brothers in Italy in all election polls, has smelled morning air.

In order to take the wind out of his sails, Meloni will probably have to offer the farmers further concessions. The farmers know that. And that’s why they stay ante portas – in front of the doors. Hundreds of tractors continue to wait outside the gates of the city of Rome, ready to drive to the center at some point.