More than half of Italians polled are losing trust in the EU as just seven percent still believe the institution has their best interests at heart. These bombshell revelations come as Italy is still on a collision course with the EU after refusing to change its budget plan. The populist coalition defied the European Commission and vowed not to alter a draft plan on its spending.
The Italian government insists it won’t change its deficit target of 2.4 percent for 2019 so it can fulfil its election promises.
Italy has been embroiled in a bitter row with Brussels over its budget deficit, with the European Commission setting a Tuesday deadline for Rome to respond to its demands.
The ultimatum from Brussels is unprecedented in its dealings with EU states.
Rome made one small concession to Brussels’ spending demands, including a safeguard clause to stop the deficit going over 2.4 per cent next year.
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Deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio said: “We won’t go over 2.4 percent deficit, and we believe in 1.5 percent economic growth next year.
“If Brussels like our plan we’re happy; if not, we press forward.”
It comes as Pollsters Coldiretti and Ixè also found that 43 percent think that Brussels’ economic policies are designed by stronger countries without much consideration to weaker economies.
In one area Italians feel particularly strongly about these economic policies is when it comes to food.
Two-thirds of Italians believe that the EU’s policies on food damage products made in Italy and only 10 percent believe the Italian agri-food sector is benefitting from EU choices.
A spokesperson for Coldiretti said: “The clear majority of Italians therefore believe that community regulation and the recent choices regarding international treaties are not adequate to guarantee quality, safety but also respect for the gastronomical traditions of Italy.”
Istituto Ixe interviewed 1,000 Italians between September 28 and October 5 2018.
Additional reporting by Maria Ortega.