Meloni urges EU fiscal easing amid energy crisis, cites Middle East tensions

Italian PM Meloni has formally requested that the European Commission relax fiscal rules to allow greater state spending on energy relief, arguing that high inflation and the Middle East-driven energy crisis strain public finances. The letter signals a potential rift between Italy and the EU over fiscal discipline, with implications for eurozone policy coordination. The outcome is uncertain, as the Commission has yet to respond, and the request may face resistance from fiscally hawkish member states.