Italian Prime Minister Meloni responds sharply to budget criticism

At a meeting in Bari, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni delivered a strong response to criticism of her government’s newly proposed 2025 budget, valued at 18.7 billion euros. Meloni emphasized that, despite opposition claims that the budget is insufficient, her administration’s options are limited by a 40-billion-euro debt inherited from previous ‘superbonus’ programs. She insisted that a larger budget would have been possible if not for these past financial obligations.

Meloni rejected accusations that the budget favors the wealthy, stating that a family earning 2,400 euros a month while raising three children is hardly living in luxury and deserves support. She said the government aimed the new budget at assisting the most vulnerable, low- and middle-income groups, and noted the introduction of a bank surcharge to contribute to funding these measures. In addition, Meloni addressed labor unions, claiming that her government had met some of their demands, but union leader Landini continued to call for strikes.

Highlighting the government’s broader policy agenda, Meloni also defended planned reforms of Italy’s justice system and asserted that only voters could decide her political future—not opposition parties. She criticized the left for what she described as an issue with democracy, and received vocal support from other right-wing leaders including Matteo Salvini, Antonio Tajani, and Maurizio Lupi, who said the budget supports Italian workers and productivity. Meloni concluded by assuring the audience that her government will keep working hard and is attentive to public feedback.