On the agenda: What’s happening in Italy this week
General elections, a train strike and falling temperatures: here are the key events in Italy that you should know about.
Monday
Local railway strike – Staff from Trenitalia Tper, the company operating train services between Emilia-Romagna and other northern regions, will take part in a 23-hour strike between Sunday, September 18th and Monday, September 19th.
The strike action will start at 3.31am on Sunday and end at 2.30am on Monday, thus supposedly affecting travel for just two and half hours on the first day of the week (between midnight and 2.30).
However, Trenitalia Tper announced that the strike “might cause disruption to regular services before its start and after its conclusion”, meaning some disruption is possible on Monday morning.
They added that delays and cancellations might not be limited to Emilia-Romagna but affect “surrounding regions” as well.
By law, all Italian railway companies must guarantee a minimum number of essential services during strike actions. Guaranteed train services for Emilia-Romagna are available here.
Staff from Emilia-Romagna’s Trenitalia Tper will take part in a 23-hour strike between Sunday, September 18th and Monday, September 19th. Photo by Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT / AFP
Tuesday
Second aid package – The second government aid package – the decreto aiuti bis – is expected to be made into law on Tuesday, September 20th, when the Senate will be asked to put the final seal of approval on the bill.
The decreto had been drafted in early August, but its journey through the Italian parliament was delayed by parties’ disagreements over measures including the new superbonus measures and a much-discussed salary cap for civil service managers.
READ ALSO: Energy crisis: Italy’s outgoing PM pledges more help with soaring prices
While the decreto bis approaches its final legislative destination, after which it will officially become law, the prime minister on Friday announced a third aid package (decreto aiuti ter) is on the way, and is set to include a further extension of the ‘bonus sociale’ (a discount on utility bills for low-income families).
Milan Fashion Week – One of Italy’s most hotly anticipated annual events, Milan Fashion Week will start on Tuesday, September 20th.
As always, the week-long festival will offer a plethora of fashion shows and exclusive insights into the spring/summer collections of some of the most famous international designers.
As it was the case last year, the event organiser, Camera della Moda, will live-broadcast most of the shows on their website to allow people from all over the world to follow their favourite festival moments.
Milan Fashion Week’s complete events calendar is available here.
The much-anticipated autumn edition of Milan Fashion Week will start on Wednesday, September 20th. Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP
Wednesday
Bad weather – According to the latest weather forecasts, cold air fronts that moved in from eastern Europe last week are expected to sweep acrosss Italy on Wednesday, September 21st.
Southern regions, especially those facing the Adriatic, are expected to be hit by localised rainstorms, which, depending on the area, might turn out to be of medium or even high intensity.
Temperatures, experts say, should also return to season averages after the unusual heat of the past few days.
Thursday
Pompeii Street Festival – The second edition of the Pompeii Street Festival will start on Thursday, September 22nd.
Prior to being destroyed by a catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, Pompeii was a thriving Roman city whose houses were famously decorated with beautiful frescoes and tempera paintings – many of these are still visible in today’s archaeological site.
The second edition of the Pompeii Street Festival will start on Thursday, September 22nd. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP
The upcoming festival will celebrate Pompeii’s ancient ‘street art’ with a series of events ranging from art to cinema to photography.
Friday
Lucca Film Festival – One of Italy’s most renowned film festivals, Lucca Film Festival, will start on Friday, September 23rd.
The festival, whose first edition was held back in 2005, will once again offer screenings, conferences and performances ranging from mainstream to art-house cinema.
This year’s festival will also host a number of illustrious guests, including Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore and Welsh director Peter Greenaway.
Weekend
General elections – Italy’s general elections will take place on Sunday, September 25th.
Polling stations across the country will open at 7am and shut at 11pm, with counting expected to start immediately after.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Five ways Italy’s 2022 elections will be different
Though foreign EU nationals who legally reside in Italy can register to vote in municipal and European parliamentary elections, only Italian citizens can vote in the country’s general elections.
All voters living in Italy cast their ballots in the town in which they are registered to vote, i.e. their comune, and at the specific polling station assigned to them.
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Monday
Local railway strike – Staff from Trenitalia Tper, the company operating train services between Emilia-Romagna and other northern regions, will take part in a 23-hour strike between Sunday, September 18th and Monday, September 19th.
The strike action will start at 3.31am on Sunday and end at 2.30am on Monday, thus supposedly affecting travel for just two and half hours on the first day of the week (between midnight and 2.30).
However, Trenitalia Tper announced that the strike “might cause disruption to regular services before its start and after its conclusion”, meaning some disruption is possible on Monday morning.
They added that delays and cancellations might not be limited to Emilia-Romagna but affect “surrounding regions” as well.
By law, all Italian railway companies must guarantee a minimum number of essential services during strike actions. Guaranteed train services for Emilia-Romagna are available here.
Tuesday
Second aid package – The second government aid package – the decreto aiuti bis – is expected to be made into law on Tuesday, September 20th, when the Senate will be asked to put the final seal of approval on the bill.
The decreto had been drafted in early August, but its journey through the Italian parliament was delayed by parties’ disagreements over measures including the new superbonus measures and a much-discussed salary cap for civil service managers.
READ ALSO: Energy crisis: Italy’s outgoing PM pledges more help with soaring prices
While the decreto bis approaches its final legislative destination, after which it will officially become law, the prime minister on Friday announced a third aid package (decreto aiuti ter) is on the way, and is set to include a further extension of the ‘bonus sociale’ (a discount on utility bills for low-income families).
Milan Fashion Week – One of Italy’s most hotly anticipated annual events, Milan Fashion Week will start on Tuesday, September 20th.
As always, the week-long festival will offer a plethora of fashion shows and exclusive insights into the spring/summer collections of some of the most famous international designers.
As it was the case last year, the event organiser, Camera della Moda, will live-broadcast most of the shows on their website to allow people from all over the world to follow their favourite festival moments.
Milan Fashion Week’s complete events calendar is available here.
Wednesday
Bad weather – According to the latest weather forecasts, cold air fronts that moved in from eastern Europe last week are expected to sweep acrosss Italy on Wednesday, September 21st.
Southern regions, especially those facing the Adriatic, are expected to be hit by localised rainstorms, which, depending on the area, might turn out to be of medium or even high intensity.
Temperatures, experts say, should also return to season averages after the unusual heat of the past few days.
Thursday
Pompeii Street Festival – The second edition of the Pompeii Street Festival will start on Thursday, September 22nd.
Prior to being destroyed by a catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, Pompeii was a thriving Roman city whose houses were famously decorated with beautiful frescoes and tempera paintings – many of these are still visible in today’s archaeological site.
The upcoming festival will celebrate Pompeii’s ancient ‘street art’ with a series of events ranging from art to cinema to photography.
Friday
Lucca Film Festival – One of Italy’s most renowned film festivals, Lucca Film Festival, will start on Friday, September 23rd.
The festival, whose first edition was held back in 2005, will once again offer screenings, conferences and performances ranging from mainstream to art-house cinema.
This year’s festival will also host a number of illustrious guests, including Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore and Welsh director Peter Greenaway.
Weekend
General elections – Italy’s general elections will take place on Sunday, September 25th.
Polling stations across the country will open at 7am and shut at 11pm, with counting expected to start immediately after.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Five ways Italy’s 2022 elections will be different
Though foreign EU nationals who legally reside in Italy can register to vote in municipal and European parliamentary elections, only Italian citizens can vote in the country’s general elections.
All voters living in Italy cast their ballots in the town in which they are registered to vote, i.e. their comune, and at the specific polling station assigned to them.
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