Italian government wants to close stores and shopping malls on Sundays

Italy's Minister of Labor and Economic Development Luigi Di Maio has proposed restrictions on the opening of shops and other commercial establishments on Sundays.

According to Di Maio, who is also vice-premier and leader of the anti-system 5 Star Movement (M5S), the “liberalization” promoted by Mario Monti’s government (2011-2013) is “destroying Italian families”.

“In terms of commerce, we will approve by the end of the year the law that imposes limits on shopping centers on weekends and holidays, with shifts and opening hours that will no longer be liberalized. It is necessary to start regulating opening and closing times again”, declared the minister.

Di Maio stated that his proposal will include a “shift mechanism” that will guarantee the operation of 25% of stores. “There will always be a place to shop,” he guaranteed.

The decision on who opens and who closes the doors would be up to mayors and the traders themselves. However, according to the Minister of Agriculture and Tourism, Gian Marco Centinaio, the plan will not apply to “tourist cities”.

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Luigi Di Maio wants to organize “shifts” for stores on Sundays. (Photo: ANSA / Ansa – Brazil)

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Former premier Matteo Renzi, the main opposition voice, criticized the measure. “Forcing everyone to close on Sunday is absurd, it means sending so many young people away”, declared the center-leftist, calling Di Maio “minister of unemployment” and accusing him of suggesting wild ideas when he is in a “crisis of visibility”.

Despite leading the largest party in the ruling coalition, Di Maio has been eclipsed by the League's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and his battle against migration. While the ultranationalist has managed to implement a tougher migration policy, Di Maio is still struggling to try to implement the M5S's flags, such as citizenship income.

Italy's economy is still struggling to grow and has an unemployment rate of 10,9%, a rate that rises to 32,6% when considering only young people aged 15 to 24.

By Handle