Nation-wide 24-hour strike cripples Italy’s rail and urban transport network
Modena car attack reignites debate on integration and Italian citizenship rules
European Commission’s new Schengen report highlights full EES rollout and upcoming ETIAS launch
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Nation-wide 24-hour strike set to cripple Italian rail and bus networks from the evening of 17 May
USB has called a general strike from 21:00 on 17 May to 20:59 on 18 May, halting most Italian rail and many bus services, with only limited ‘minimum service’ trains guaranteed. Air travel is exempt, but airport rail links such as the Malpensa Express will be heavily curtailed and replaced by buses. Companies are urged to activate contingency plans and inform travelling staff of likely delays and refund options. The walk-out underscores the need for robust duty-of-care processes in one of Europe’s most strike-prone markets.
Salvini proposes ‘points-based’ residence-permit system: foreign offenders would face automatic revocation and expulsion
League leader Matteo Salvini announced a draft bill on 17 May that would strip residence permits—and in extreme cases citizenship—from foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes, introducing a points-based system that mirrors Italy’s driving-licence rules. Coalition allies and legal experts immediately questioned the measure’s compatibility with EU law and its practical relevance to recent headline crimes. If advanced, the plan could complicate corporate mobility programmes and heighten compliance checks on non-EU staff.
Government releases territorial split of 8,865 extra seasonal work permits for 2026, clarifying click-day allocations
The Ministry of Labour published Note 1434 on its website on 17 May, specifying how 8,865 extra seasonal-work permits for 2026 will be distributed among Italy’s regions. Employers must file online applications during a newly scheduled click-day on 4 June. The top beneficiary regions are Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna. The move gives tourism and agriculture operators another opportunity to hire non-EU staff ahead of the summer season, but companies must prepare dossiers early to beat the usual click-day server bottlenecks.