Economics

What Italian Voters Really Want Their Next Leader to Worry About

It’s the economy for anti-immigration champion Salvini
Italians focus on jobs as leaders bicker over early election

Tourists Are Killing Venice, But It's Addicted to Their Cash — Photographer: Federico Vespignani/Bloomberg

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By Alessandro Speciale and Zoe Schneeweiss

August 17, 2019 at 3:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

If Matteo Salvini takes over as Italian prime minister, it’ll be because of his relentless campaign against illegal migrants, right? Not so fast.

While the immigration rhetoric is keeping Salvini’s League party ahead as he pushes for an early election, polls suggest it’s the economy that really demands his attention. Behind the fog of political drama, the public’s top concern is unemployment, which is close to 10%.