Italian Prime Minister Meloni calls for European intervention on energy prices

On October 12, 2026, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged the European Union to implement structural, long-term solutions to curb natural gas prices used for electricity production. Speaking to industrial leaders in Milan, Meloni argued that temporary relief measures are insufficient to address the current economic strain. Her government has already allocated over 60 million euros to support citizens against rising costs, but she emphasized the need for a coordinated European mechanism.

Meloni attributed the soaring inflation and increased costs of raw materials and transportation to global geopolitical instability. She specifically highlighted the ongoing crisis in Iran, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and instability in the Red Sea as primary drivers of economic distress that threaten household budgets, production systems, and public finances. Italian Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti has already raised these concerns at a recent Ecofin meeting.

The Prime Minister intends to advocate for these structural reforms at the upcoming European Council. The administration's focus remains on shifting from emergency financial aid to sustainable, long-term regulatory frameworks at the EU level to protect the national economy from unpredictable international developments.