Key facts
- Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expects Italy's economy to grow by 1% in 2026.
- Meloni stated Italy's growth would be in line with, if not above, the euro zone's.
- The Italian economy grew 0.3% in Q1 and 0.2% in Q2.
- Acquired growth was 0.8% at the end of June.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni anticipates Italy's economy will expand by 1% in 2026, a figure she expects to be in line with or potentially exceed the euro zone's growth. In an interview with Il Foglio published on Saturday, Meloni highlighted the economy's resilience in the first half of the year.
She noted that "acquired growth"—the minimum growth rate achievable even if the economy stagnates in the latter half of the year—stood at 0.8% by the end of June. This suggests that full-year growth will be at least that figure, even without further expansion in the remaining quarters. The Italian economy registered a 0.3% quarter-on-quarter increase in the first three months of 2026 and a 0.2% rise in the second quarter.
Meloni acknowledged that Italy has historically struggled with sustained growth, citing factors such as energy costs and low productivity. She indicated that efforts to address these challenges are underway but their impact will be seen over the medium term. The Italian economy grew 0.5% in 2025 and has not exceeded 1% in the past three years, despite significant EU recovery funds.