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Latest news on Italy (the Italian Republic), covering Italian politics, the Meloni government, President Mattarella at the Quirinal, the economy and business, Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples, Venice, Florence and Tuscany, Sicily and Sardinia, culture, travel, society and Italy's role in Europe and the Mediterranean.

Italy is a founding member of the European Union and a member of the G7 and the eurozone. The capital, Rome, is the seat of government, while Milan is the centre of business, finance and fashion. Vatican City, home to the Pope, is an independent state inside Rome.

Giorgia Meloni became Italy's first woman prime minister in October 2022, leading a coalition of Brothers of Italy, the League and Forza Italia. Stories to follow include the budget and public finances, relations with Brussels, defence under Guido Crosetto, foreign policy under Antonio Tajani, and the opposition led by the Democratic Party. Migration across the Mediterranean, including the agreement with Albania, remains a recurring theme.

The economy spans manufacturing, fashion, design, food and wine, cars and tourism, with strong regional contrasts between the industrial north and the south. Public debt, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, energy costs and workplace safety shape the news agenda. Italian companies and brands, from fashion houses to carmakers and airlines, are covered alongside investment and trade ties with other countries.

Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country, from the Colosseum and Pompeii to Venice, Florence and the Dolomites. Regional life brings its own stories, from Tuscany and Sicily to Sardinia and the Alps, along with festivals, food traditions and local dialects. Natural hazards such as earthquakes and the activity of Etna also make regular headlines.

The Roman Empire, the Renaissance and the unification of the nineteenth century still shape Italian identity, politics and culture. The Italian Republic, founded after the Second World War, is a parliamentary system with a president as head of state. Its history helps explain the debates over regional autonomy, the north-south divide and the country's place in Europe.

Our NewsNow Italy feed gathers the latest English-language headlines on Italian politics, the economy, business, society, culture and travel from reliable sources, so you can follow Rome, Milan, Naples and the rest of the country as events unfold.