Matteo Renzi

Prince Harry among headliners at Obama Foundation summit

Chicago - AFP

Former US president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle are planning a star-studded gathering at the end of October, in their ongoing post-White House effort to support future leaders. Prince Harry, Gloria Estefan, and Chance the Rapper are among the names attending the two-day Chicago summit. The British royal will address the roughly 500 young civic leaders and community activistsRead more

Italy scraps employment voucher system

Rome - Arab Today

Italy has abolished voucher payments for workers, which were highly popular with employers, to avoid a bruising referendum championed by the country’s main union, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Friday. Payment by vouchers was introduced in 2008 as an experiment for seasonal farm laborers. The flexible and unregulated form of payment was aimed at encouraging bosses to stop hiringRead more

Italy scraps employment voucher system to avoid referendum showdown

Rome - Arab Today

Italy has abolished voucher payments for workers, which were highly popular with employers, to avoid a bruising referendum championed by the country's main union, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Friday. Payment by vouchers was introduced in 2008 as an experiment for seasonal farm labourers. The flexible and unregulated form of payment was aimed at encouraging bosses to stop hiringRead more

Italy quake hits regional economy built on small producers

ROME - Arab today

The Lanzi company has been curing hams in the Italian town of Norcia for over half a century. It’s a family business, employing owner David Lanzi’s five children as well as 60 locals. All of that is now at risk, after Sunday’s earthquake knocked down the walls of the company’s cured meats production site. Lanzi, 78, is working day andRead more

Renzi defies foes, opens way for party leadership battle

Rome - Arab Today

Former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi resigned as head of the ruling Democratic Party (PD) on Sunday, opening the way for a leadership fight when he will take on foes who are threatening to rip apart the centre-left group. Battling for his political life, Renzi made clear he would seek re-election and warned that the PD's internal feuding was provingRead more

Renzi set to trigger leadership race at ruling party meeting

Rome - Arab Today

Former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi looks set to trigger a leadership contest at a meeting of his ruling Democratic Party (PD) on Monday which could delay the early election he has been pushing for since he was toppled as premier last year. Rising tensions in the PD have deflated Renzi's bid for an vote by June, around a yearRead more

Italy's constitutional court set to rule on electoral law

Rome - ArabToday

The Italian Constitutional Court was set to rule Wednesday on the legitimacy of the country's electoral law, a decision that could also determine whether snap elections will be called this year. A ruling of the highest court on the issue became necessary as different election laws now apply to the lower house and the upper house of the parliament. TheRead more

Italian court reviews vote law; Renzi eager for early election

Rome - Arab Today

Italy's highest court began deliberations on Tuesday to rule on the legality of the country's latest electoral law with the decision likely to influence the timing of the next election. An unambiguous ruling offering a simple solution to Italy's electoral tangle could open the way for an early ballot by June. A more nuanced, convoluted reading would almost certainly leaveRead more

Italy reviews new electoral law as old problems pile up

Rome - Arab Today

After a turbulent first month in office, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni could learn this week how much longer his government might last when the constitutional court reviews the validity of Italy's election law. An unambiguous ruling offering a simple solution to Italy's electoral tangle could open the way for an early ballot by June. A more convoluted reading would certainlyRead more

Italy PM Matteo Renzi quits after crushing vote loss

Rome - Arab Today

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi announced his resignation on Monday, hours after learning he had suffered a crushing defeat in a referendum on constitutional reform. "My experience of government finishes here," Renzi told a press conference, acknowledging that the No campaign had won an "extraordinarily clear" victory in a vote on which he had staked his future. Interior Ministry projectionsRead more