What changes about life in Italy in September 2022
As the summer holidays wind down and schools start back up in September, Italy is also preparing for an unprecedented autumn general election.
September is usually a relatively low-key month in Italy, as residents return from the beach and ease back into their usual routine.
But this year, as well as preparing for the rientro in September the country is gearing up to elect a new government before the end of the month.
The general election will be the main event on everyone's horizon, but it's far from the only thing happening. Here's what to look out for in September.
General election
Italians will head to the polls on September 25th to vote for their next government in autumn general election.
The vote wasn't due to take place until early 2023, but snap elections were called after Mario Draghi's 'unity' coalition government collapsed in July.
READ ALSO: What election promises have Italy’s political parties made?
Campaigning is in full swing and all the main parties have released their election manifestos, which feature promises to lower taxes and axe VAT on basic goods.
A hard-right coalition led by the post-fascist Brothers of Italy is currently on track to win by a landslide.
Follow all the election news this month here.
Is Italy ready for election season, and a new government? - A campaign poster shows hard-right Brothers of Italy party leader Giorgia Meloni, who is likely to become the next prime minister. Photo: Marco BERTORELLO / AFP
Energy-saving bill and fuel price cut
As September begins, the outgoing Italian government is working on an extended emergency aid package designed to further offset soaring energy costs.
With Russia's war on Ukraine continuing to cause fuel prices to skyrocket, the government will reportedly announce further measures in the coming days aimed at offsetting some of these costs for the average consumer.
READ ALSO: Soaring energy prices push Italy’s inflation to 37-year high
The measures are expected to include further help for low-income households and an extension to an existing discount on fuel duties, which is currently in place until September 20th, though the value of the discount will drop from 30 to 25 cents.
The government is also preparing last-minute changes to a bill containing energy-saving measures, now being introduced months earlier than scheduled amid growing concerns about energy costs and security.
Back to school
Italy's schoolchildren will be filing back into the classroom in September, with back-to-school dates ranging from September 5th to September 19th.
Italy's schools are managed by regional authorities, so the return dates vary according to region. This year, these are:
September 5th: Bolzano, Trentino Alto Adige infants schools/kindergartens
September 12th: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige
September 14th: Calabria, Campania, Liguria, Le Marche, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, Umbria
September 15th: Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio
September 19th: Sicily, Valle D'Aosta
New school Covid rules
Covid restrictions have been mostly phased out in Italy, but they will remain in place (on a very limited basis) in schools for the new academic year.
These include requirements for students with a positive Covid status or a fever to stay at home; for pupils or staff at “at risk of developing severe forms of Covid” to wear FFP2 masks; and vague stipulations that everyone should follow correct hand hygiene and “respiratory etiquette” and that schools should ensure “frequent air changes”.
Explained: What are Italy’s Covid rules for schools in September?
Most of the rules have been significantly relaxed: unvaccinated teachers will be allowed to return to the classroom to teach for the first time since December 2021, and a universal masking requirement that had been in place until the end of the 2022 academic year will be scrapped.
Masking requirements and vaccination rules will no longer be in place as Italy begins the new school year.
File photo: Vincenzo PINTO / AFP
Cut to Covid isolation period
As of September 1st, the mandatory isolation period for those who test positive for coronavirus and are symptomatic has been cut to five days from the previous seven.
Patients must test negative – via either a molecular (PCR) or rapid antigen test – at the end of that period, as well as being asymptomatic for two days.
READ ALSO: Italy cuts Covid isolation period as infection rate falls further
Should the patient continue to test positive, they must remain in isolation until they get a negative test result. The maximum length of the isolation period was however cut to 14 days, down from 21.
Public transport discount
A fuel discount isn't the only cost-saving provision Italy's government is implementing: from September, a ‘transport bonus’ (bonus trasporti) will be available to all pensioners, students, and employees with an Isee of up to €35,000.
The bonus takes the form of a one-time €60 discount to be used on the purchase of monthly or yearly tickets for local transport services.
The government will allocate a total of 101 million euros to funding the bonus; 22 million more than had originally been allocated to the scheme.
Autumn equinox
The autumn equinox - the moment when the sun is directly above the earth's equator and day and night are of equal length - will fall on September 23rd this year.
It's the date that's considered to mark the start of autumn in the northern hemisphere, which in Italy means you can start to look forward to sagre harvest festivals and fairs all over the country.
Food festivals
September is famously an excellent time to be in Italy if you enjoy visiting the sagre, or local food festivals - and who doesn't?
A month-long truffle sagra in Girone, Tuscany, a grape sagra in Giovo, Trentino, a porcini mushroom sagra in Rocca Priora, Lazio, and Made in Malga, a mountain cheeses sagra in Asiago, Veneto are just a few of the events you can enjoy this month.
See more of the food and drink festivals planned in Italy this September here.
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September is usually a relatively low-key month in Italy, as residents return from the beach and ease back into their usual routine.
But this year, as well as preparing for the rientro in September the country is gearing up to elect a new government before the end of the month.
The general election will be the main event on everyone's horizon, but it's far from the only thing happening. Here's what to look out for in September.
General election
Italians will head to the polls on September 25th to vote for their next government in autumn general election.
The vote wasn't due to take place until early 2023, but snap elections were called after Mario Draghi's 'unity' coalition government collapsed in July.
READ ALSO: What election promises have Italy’s political parties made?
Campaigning is in full swing and all the main parties have released their election manifestos, which feature promises to lower taxes and axe VAT on basic goods.
A hard-right coalition led by the post-fascist Brothers of Italy is currently on track to win by a landslide.
Follow all the election news this month here.
Energy-saving bill and fuel price cut
As September begins, the outgoing Italian government is working on an extended emergency aid package designed to further offset soaring energy costs.
With Russia's war on Ukraine continuing to cause fuel prices to skyrocket, the government will reportedly announce further measures in the coming days aimed at offsetting some of these costs for the average consumer.
READ ALSO: Soaring energy prices push Italy’s inflation to 37-year high
The measures are expected to include further help for low-income households and an extension to an existing discount on fuel duties, which is currently in place until September 20th, though the value of the discount will drop from 30 to 25 cents.
The government is also preparing last-minute changes to a bill containing energy-saving measures, now being introduced months earlier than scheduled amid growing concerns about energy costs and security.
Back to school
Italy's schoolchildren will be filing back into the classroom in September, with back-to-school dates ranging from September 5th to September 19th.
Italy's schools are managed by regional authorities, so the return dates vary according to region. This year, these are:
September 5th: Bolzano, Trentino Alto Adige infants schools/kindergartens
September 12th: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, Trentino Alto Adige
September 14th: Calabria, Campania, Liguria, Le Marche, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, Umbria
September 15th: Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio
September 19th: Sicily, Valle D'Aosta
New school Covid rules
Covid restrictions have been mostly phased out in Italy, but they will remain in place (on a very limited basis) in schools for the new academic year.
These include requirements for students with a positive Covid status or a fever to stay at home; for pupils or staff at “at risk of developing severe forms of Covid” to wear FFP2 masks; and vague stipulations that everyone should follow correct hand hygiene and “respiratory etiquette” and that schools should ensure “frequent air changes”.
Explained: What are Italy’s Covid rules for schools in September?
Most of the rules have been significantly relaxed: unvaccinated teachers will be allowed to return to the classroom to teach for the first time since December 2021, and a universal masking requirement that had been in place until the end of the 2022 academic year will be scrapped.
File photo: Vincenzo PINTO / AFP
Cut to Covid isolation period
As of September 1st, the mandatory isolation period for those who test positive for coronavirus and are symptomatic has been cut to five days from the previous seven.
Patients must test negative – via either a molecular (PCR) or rapid antigen test – at the end of that period, as well as being asymptomatic for two days.
READ ALSO: Italy cuts Covid isolation period as infection rate falls further
Should the patient continue to test positive, they must remain in isolation until they get a negative test result. The maximum length of the isolation period was however cut to 14 days, down from 21.
Public transport discount
A fuel discount isn't the only cost-saving provision Italy's government is implementing: from September, a ‘transport bonus’ (bonus trasporti) will be available to all pensioners, students, and employees with an Isee of up to €35,000.
The bonus takes the form of a one-time €60 discount to be used on the purchase of monthly or yearly tickets for local transport services.
The government will allocate a total of 101 million euros to funding the bonus; 22 million more than had originally been allocated to the scheme.
Autumn equinox
The autumn equinox - the moment when the sun is directly above the earth's equator and day and night are of equal length - will fall on September 23rd this year.
It's the date that's considered to mark the start of autumn in the northern hemisphere, which in Italy means you can start to look forward to sagre harvest festivals and fairs all over the country.
Food festivals
September is famously an excellent time to be in Italy if you enjoy visiting the sagre, or local food festivals - and who doesn't?
A month-long truffle sagra in Girone, Tuscany, a grape sagra in Giovo, Trentino, a porcini mushroom sagra in Rocca Priora, Lazio, and Made in Malga, a mountain cheeses sagra in Asiago, Veneto are just a few of the events you can enjoy this month.
See more of the food and drink festivals planned in Italy this September here.
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