Giuseppe Conte, a former prime minister and leader of the opposition 5Star Movement, condemned Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s reforms. In the Southern region of Calabria youth unemployment is around 30 percent, and GDP per capita is similar to that in Romania. Endemic poverty has led to mass emigration from Southern regions. Years of prejudice, including the denigration of Southern languages, has further fueled resentment and a sense of abandonment in the South. Legislation introduced by Meloni’s government would hand wide-ranging powers and resources to “virtuous and efficient” Northern regions.

Source: Punch June 19, 2024 16:11 UTC