Italy approves 500,000 work visas as Meloni eyes electoral reform
Italy's government has approved 500,000 work visas to ease labour shortages, even as it advances an electoral reform that could consolidate its power ahead of the 2027 general election.
The Italian government has approved an additional 500,000 work visas for the 2026–2028 period, responding to intense pressure from employers facing acute labour shortages. The move highlights a pragmatic shift for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose tough stance on immigration was central to her 2022 election victory.
Despite opening a controversial migrant processing centre in Albania, Meloni's administration has been forced to balance its political rhetoric with economic necessity. Italian companies, struggling to fill vacancies, have effectively pressured the government into ensuring a steady flow of foreign workers. The visa programme signals to markets that Rome is willing to intervene in the labour market to support businesses, even as it maintains a hardline public stance on border control.
Parallel to its economic adjustments, the ruling coalition is pushing significant institutional changes before the 2027 elections. A proposed electoral reform introducing a majority bonus has already passed the lower house of parliament. If approved by the Senate, the system would award extra parliamentary seats to the winning coalition, potentially entrenching Meloni's conservatives and far-right allies in power.
Opposition figures, including MEP Sandro Gozi, have warned that Italy is moving in an increasingly illiberal direction. Critics point to growing political pressure on the media and the judiciary alongside the electoral changes. The death of a Moroccan-born man in Bologna in July, following police restraint, has further amplified domestic tensions over policing and migrants' rights, sparking street protests.
These institutional shifts are unfolding against a backdrop of tightening access to civil services. Legal abortion remains theoretically protected, but the widespread use of conscientious objection by medical professionals has left women in some regions without practical access to the procedure.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, a key coalition partner leading the Forza Italia party, is tasked with managing these domestic challenges alongside strained relations with US President Donald Trump. For the European Union, Italy's trajectory presents a complex picture of a founding member relying on increased migration to sustain its economy while advancing reforms that critics argue threaten democratic checks.
