Interview with Antonio Misiani: "Meloni on her knees before Trump, the tariffs will be heavy for Italy."

Antonio Misiani, Senator, responsible for Economy and Finance, Business, and Infrastructure in the Democratic Party's National Secretariat. Trump is waging a trade war against Europe . But the Prime Minister is urging calm and moderation in the response. Giorgia Meloni's approach is wrong. Faced with economic aggression like Trump's, one cannot respond with equidistance. The US tariffs are a severe blow to European industry, especially Italian industry, which has already been struggling for over two years. Complacently accommodating the US president is counterproductive. A firm, united, and cohesive response from the European Union is needed. And the Italian government must stand with Europe, not continue to be a double-crosser so as not to displease its friends in Washington.

The mainstream press serves as a mouthpiece for Palazzo Chigi's narratives. Outside of propaganda, what impact will Trump's tariffs have on our economy? The impact will be severe. We're talking about universal tariffs of 30 percent, further increased for certain products. In 2024, we exported goods worth €65 billion to the US, with a huge trade surplus of nearly €39 billion. Trade with the United States involves strategic sectors: agri-food, automotive, mechanical engineering, and ceramics. These are sectors where Italy exports excellence. For a country with a manufacturing-based economy like ours, crippling exports means severely impacting employment and growth. This is far from a "storm in a teacup," as some in Palazzo Chigi are trying to make us believe. What's happening with tariffs highlights the fragility of our development model, heavily reliant on foreign markets, and the government's inability to develop a commensurate response. More than three months have passed, but the €25 billion support plan promised by Giorgia Meloni has disappeared from the radar.

Speaking of storytelling, Meloni and her bards boast successes in terms of employment and wages. The numbers must be read carefully. Employment is growing in quantity but not in quality. Jobs are increasing, but in low-productivity, low-wage sectors. Real wages have not yet recovered from the inflationary surge of 2022-2023 and remain among the lowest in Europe. Poor employment continues to rise, and Italy is the only OECD country where wages have lost purchasing power since 1990. The truth is that the Meloni government's economic policy fails to boost development, combat job insecurity, or protect jobs. It is a regressive policy that protects vested interests, discourages innovation, and leaves those who are worst off behind. Thus, however, Italy is condemned to stagnation and growing inequality.

Speaking of which. According to Oxfam's 2025 report on inequality, in Italy, by mid-2024, the richest 10% of households (holding nearly three-fifths of the country's net wealth) owned more than eight times the wealth of the poorest half of households. The ratio was 6.3 just fourteen years ago. According to the report, in 2024, billionaires' wealth grew by $2 trillion, equivalent to $5.7 billion a day, three times faster than the previous year. At the same time, the percentage of people living on less than $6.85 a day worldwide remains virtually unchanged since 1990, with over 3.5 billion people, nearly half the global population, living on less than $6.85 a day. This "perverse symmetry" highlights how the richest 1% holds a similar share of wealth to that held by the remaining 44%. In particular, the wealth of Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, exceeded $330 billion in 2024. The richest are getting richer and the poorest are growing . There is a huge and unresolved social question. Is the left aware of this? The serious left, the one that looks reality in the eye and doesn't take refuge in identity-based shortcuts, is fully aware that today's social issue is the true democratic emergency. Denouncing inequalities isn't enough: we must address them with courageous policies. We need a new agenda: redistribution but also predistribution, a minimum wage and fair compensation, a new labor statute, fairer taxation that is more functional for inclusive and sustainable development, a revitalization of public and private investment after the PNRR, and a welfare system suited to the challenges of the 21st century. The Democratic Party has a duty to be the party that puts these issues and priorities back at the center.

From foreign policy to social and fiscal policy. Isn't Europe absolutely lacking? Europe certainly has its limitations, but calling it "absolutely deficient" is misleading. Without the European Union, we would have faced the pandemic, the energy crisis, and the geopolitical crises alone. The problem is that today Europe is still too weak where it should be strong—on foreign policy, common defense, and taxation, issues that remain the prerogative of national governments—and too intrusive where it should leave room for the democratic sovereignty of states. The left must fight for a Europe different from the Union of technocracy and austerity. We need to overcome the principle of unanimity, strengthen common policies, including through forms of enhanced cooperation, and boost the Union budget, which currently amounts to a microscopic 1 percent of GDP. We can defeat the sovereignists only by building a more cohesive, more just, and more social Europe.

In Gaza, people continue to die. The government, under Prime Minister Ibrahim, condemned the Israeli attack on the Strip's only church , but rejected the suspension of the military memorandum with Israel. We are facing a humanitarian tragedy that profoundly challenges our consciences. Israel's right to defend itself cannot translate into collective punishment against an entire people. The international community—including Italy—has a duty to forcefully demand an immediate ceasefire, the protection of Palestinian civilians, an end to violations of international law, and the release of hostages still held by Hamas. Faced with blatant war crimes, words of condemnation are not enough: consistent action is needed. Suspending the Military Memorandum with Israel would be a clear political signal. The Meloni government, once again, has chosen not to disturb its ally Netanyahu, even at the cost of ignoring the fundamental principles of our legal system and international law.

Relations between political parties and unions have long been debated. The Democratic Party secretary was accused of subservience to Landini's CGIL for supporting the referendums. The Democratic Party supported the referendums on jobs (and the one on citizenship) because it believed they were fair , not to favor their promoters. Job insecurity is widespread, wages are stagnant, rights are being challenged: the world of work needs concrete answers, not exploitative polemics. We knew how difficult it would be to reach a quorum, but we had a duty to express ourselves clearly, without ambiguity. And now we will continue to fight to improve the conditions of workers, for a minimum wage, for the abolition of paid internships and stricter rules for fixed-term contracts, for the right to training, and against involuntary part-time work. Those who talk about subordination demonstrate a failure to understand that a progressive party has a duty to listen to and support the needs of workers.

Regional elections are upon us. Attention seems to be focused on candidacies, in a sort of re-enactment of the "Cencelli method." Is this what we're getting at? If we limit ourselves to simply counting the numbers, we won't get very far. Candidacies are important, but the project is even more important. The upcoming regional elections are the most important political step before the general election. They must be an opportunity to build and develop a strong, credible, and well-established government proposal. An alternative isn't created solely through summit agreements, but by fighting together on the issues that matter to citizens. We must address public health, transportation, jobs, schools, and the environment. And we must give voice to the local communities. We have less than two years to transform a mathematical majority into a structured and competitive political project.

Meanwhile, the " Sala case" has exploded. The Democratic Party is rallying around the mayor of Milan. An official defense? No, this isn't an official defense. It's a well-founded defense. In Milan, the judiciary will take its course: if someone has committed crimes, it's only fair that they pay. But the principle of presumption of innocence applies to everyone—even those who govern a complex city like Milan. The Democratic Party continues to have full confidence in Giuseppe Sala, in his work, and in the integrity of his administration. In recent years, center-left governments have revitalized Milan, investing in infrastructure, social cohesion, and quality of life. Milan has become a national benchmark, demonstrating that Italy can respond to decline and build a future. This doesn't mean everything is fine. Course corrections are needed, starting with the housing issue, which is now one of the major urban emergencies. But those who today condemn the center-left's experience in Milan are simply making propaganda. And they do so by ignoring the facts.

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Umberto De Giovannangeli