Trucker Blockades in Southern Italy Ramp Up Pressure on Meloni

Trucker Blockades in Southern Italy Ramp Up Pressure on Meloni

Trucker Blockades in Southern Italy Ramp Up Pressure on Meloni

Truck drivers have blockaded highways, ports and fuel depots across southern Italy since October 16, protesting soaring diesel prices. The protests spread from Puglia and Calabria to Sicily, Campania and Basilicata, emptying supermarket shelves and straining fuel supplies, and putting Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government under heavy pressure.

Meloni Condemns Blockades as Cabinet Approves Aid

Meloni described the roadblocks as "intimidation" on X and warned the government would enforce laws criminalising blockades. Her cabinet then approved a decree adding €106 million in tax credits for truckers hit by higher fuel costs, on top of €434 million already offered, plus €60 million for farmers and €10 million for the fisheries sector. Deputy Minister Edoardo Rixi said €480 million had already been allocated for diesel costs and that police escorts would be offered to trucks passing roadblocks.

Diesel Prices Surge by a Third, Truckers Squeezed

According to POLITICO, diesel prices in Italy have risen by about a third since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began, and a Naples-to-Milan haul now costs far more in fuel. Truckers say fuel accounts for more than 60% of operating expenses. The Sicilian Road Haulers' Committee, led by Salvatore Bella, suspended operations until midnight on October 20, while Calabria's Fedralog called its own protest. Diesel in Sicily now exceeds €2.16 per litre, with some reports citing €2.30.

Empty Shelves and Dry Tanks Hit the South

Federdistribuzione said hundreds of supermarkets and dozens of distribution centres were hit, with fresh fruit, meat and fish running out within days and some shops left completely empty. Wanted in Rome reported that four in ten southern firms faced supply problems and some restaurants closed; the airports of Crotone and Reggio Calabria ran out of aircraft fuel; buffalo mozzarella production halted with an estimated €3 million loss in 24 hours; and kiwi fruit losses reached about €30 million over five days. Confcommercio Sicilia estimated €40-50 million in losses for large-scale retail and the fresh produce chain on the island.

Some Blockades Lift, Others Hold

Truckers in Sicily and Calabria suspended their protests after the aid announcement, but non-association protesters in Campania and Puglia kept blockades in place. The government promised aid covering about 121 million litres of fuel at up to 45 cents per litre, plus support for the fishing sector where vessels remained docked. Whether the measures calm the unrest depends on how quickly funds arrive and where diesel prices go next.