Meloni Pledges Further Tax Cuts for Middle Class, Vows Crackdown on Shell Businesses
The Italian prime minister used a major commerce federation assembly to outline her government's economic agenda, combining tax-relief promises with a stern warning about regulatory compliance.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addressed the national assembly of Confcommercio, the country's main federation representing commerce and services businesses, on Tuesday, using the platform to lay out two intertwined policy messages: further relief on the tax burden for middle-income earners and a firm insistence that commercial regulations will be enforced.
On taxation, Meloni declared her government has no intention of stopping at measures already enacted. "We want to do more to reduce the tax burden on the middle class," she said, directly contrasting her position with unnamed political opponents she characterised as speaking about cuts without delivering them.
The business-focused outlet Il Sole 24 Ore foregrounded Meloni's fiscal pledge, reflecting the concerns of its commercial readership. The prime minister framed the commitment as an ongoing project rather than a completed one, signalling that further reductions remain on the legislative agenda.
On the regulatory side, Meloni struck a noticeably firmer tone. She stressed the importance of measures targeting so-called "apri e chiudi" businesses — a colloquial Italian term for short-lived firms that open, collect revenue or exploit incentives, and close before meeting their obligations. "Italy is not a banana republic — rules must be respected," she said, according to the ANSA wire service.
ANSA's coverage emphasised this enforcement dimension, highlighting the government's intent to impose consequences on businesses that exploit regulatory loopholes. The juxtaposition of a pro-business tax message alongside a compliance warning reflects a recurring tension in Italian commercial policy: stimulating entrepreneurship while curbing abuse of the system.
Confcommercio represents hundreds of thousands of businesses in retail, tourism, and services — sectors that have lobbied heavily on both tax policy and administrative simplification. Meloni's appearance before the assembly is a customary opportunity for the government to signal its economic priorities to a key constituency ahead of the autumn budget season.
Italy's middle class has faced persistent pressure from a combination of high social-contribution costs, bracket creep, and sluggish wage growth, making tax reform politically resonant. The government has previously introduced a flat-rate expansion for self-employed workers and modest cuts to labour taxes, but critics argue the structural burden on salaried workers remains high.
No specific legislative timetable or revenue figures were attached to Tuesday's pledge. It remains unclear how additional tax relief would be financed, and whether further cuts will feature in the next budget law, which the government is expected to begin drafting in the coming weeks.