Diesel prices hit an all-time high in Italia: Government considers targeted support for workers and the self-employed

A solution – both technical and political – was not found in time. Indeed, it is still the subject of debate. But Meloni has gone out on a limb by saying she wants to put an end to a measure that also helps those who do not need it, and that she wants to change course and move towards targeted interventions.

The crux of the matter lies in determining who will be eligible for the new subsidies. The initial idea, which officials at the Ministry of the Economy had been working on since before the summer, focused on employees earning below a certain income threshold, with companies tasked with identifying those most in need, particularly those forced to use a car to get to work. However, the exclusion of VAT-registered self-employed workers was dismissed as a ‘glaring error’ by Matteo Salvini, who argues that the bonus should also apply to the self-employed.

However, the benefit cannot be reduced too much, because an amount of less than 120–150 euros (i.e. 40–50 euros a month) would risk being counterproductive, even in terms of public perception. The increase in the number of people queuing for the bonus therefore makes it necessary to lower the income threshold, thereby shifting the same political difficulty onto a different terrain.

Given this situation, the figures and criteria are bound to fluctuate further over the coming days. All the more so as an alternative proposal – a discount on car tax – has now entered the picture.