The Quiet Rebellion That's Growing in Italy

Generally, Italy is a very chill place. People get animated about the best way to make carbonara, but other than that, I haven't seen Italians get too bent out of shape.

Until now.

Italy, particularly the south, is shaking with quiet rage about the ever-increasing cost of living, among other things. Over the past few weeks, there have been numerous protests and strikes that are beginning to get national and international attention.

The Price of Gas

Ever since the Strait of Hormuz was shut down, gas prices in Europe have steadily risen. We're paying over €2 per liter of gas, and more for diesel.

Everyone's groaning about this, but truck drivers and farmers in Calabria have become vocal about the situation. They, more than anyone, are suffering from the rising prices. When it costs more to fill a large truck, those costs are passed down to the people who buy what they sell.

A Peaceful Protest

Unlike in Milan, Paris, and other cities in Europe, southern Italians are quite peaceful in their protests.

A few weeks ago, the main street in Davoli Marina was blocked. This caused a major traffic snarl across Calabria, as the 106 is the main artery along the Ionian Coast.

But people weren't burning buildings and stealing in their protests. It was, in some instances, more like a party. People had chairs lined up on the side of the road. Friends greeted one another like it was a festival.

It was inconvenient, to be sure. The schools shut down, since it was impossible to get the kiddos there. And while, certainly, several concerned citizens raved for the news cameras, the whole thing was, on the whole, quite impressive in its organization and calm.

The Current Situation

Though the region of Calabria has committed €15 million to alleviating the pressure on truck drivers and farmers, they've decided that's not good enough. Drivers have parked along major roads (not blocking traffic this time) to continue to protest.

This impacts everyone. The drivers of the trucks that refill the gas stations? They're parked in the protest. Which means that sometimes the stations run out of gas. Which causes everyone to panic and line up at the station.

The trucks that bring groceries to the stores? On the side of the road. Which means the grocery stores are EMPTY.

I can only hope this gets resolved quickly. The protesters are right: the cost of living in Italy doesn't match their meager salaries. Driving a vehicle is getting prohibitively expensive for people who drive for a living.

There's no quick or easy solution. But here's hoping that calmly protesting helps Italy get what it needs.

UPDATE: Following the fix announced by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, which brought targeted aid for truckers, support for farmers, and extra security to keep delivery trucks moving, the massive blockades and supply chain chaos across southern Italy have finally started to cool down.

Transport Minister Matteo Salvini pointed to over €1 billion in transport subsidies and tax relief to help stabilize things, but even as the road blockades clear up, general protests over crazy high inflation, fuel prices, and the overall cost of living are still simmering across the South.