fiscal rules

A party fiscal in Rio de Janeiro was arrested after filming his own vote, according to a report by R7. Filming a ballot is prohibited under Brazilian electoral law, which requires vote secrecy, and the case has drawn attention to how strictly such rules are enforced during elections. The report has sparked debate about electoral procedures and penalties for violations.

Changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps millions of low-income Americans buy food, take effect on October 1. Outlets are walking readers through what the updates mean, who is affected and how benefit amounts or eligibility rules may shift as the new federal fiscal year begins.

Italy is pressing ahead with measures on public finances, energy and defence, with government projections putting the 2026 budget deficit below the EU's 3% of GDP threshold. Rome frames this as evidence its fiscal consolidation is on track while it funds defence and energy priorities, though debate continues over whether the targets are realistic.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has urged the European Commission to grant Italy more flexibility under the EU's fiscal rules. The request came on the day Istat, Italy's national statistics institute, reported inflation rising to 4.2 per cent in September, up from 3.3 per cent in August. The appeal underscores growing pressure on Rome as higher living costs complicate budget planning, and it is drawing attention to tensions between national spending needs and Brussels' budgetary discipline.

Italy plans to ask the European Union for additional deficit flexibility worth 0.6% of GDP in 2027, according to a government budget document. The request would give Rome more room under EU fiscal rules, and is likely to draw scrutiny from Brussels and eurozone partners over Italy's debt levels and budget plans.

Italy is projecting that its budget deficit will fall below 3% of GDP in 2026, meeting the European Union's fiscal threshold. The forecast is drawing attention among investors and policymakers watching Rome's public finances and its compliance with EU budget rules.

Italy has revised its 2026 public debt target down to 138.1% of GDP, from the 138.6% projection set in April. The adjustment is small, but as one of the Eurozone's most indebted large economies, even half-point changes in Rome's fiscal path draw scrutiny. Observers are debating whether the move signals genuine fiscal tightening or an effort to reassure European Commission officials monitoring Italy's budget plans.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has asked the European Commission for greater fiscal flexibility as soaring energy costs put pressure on Italy's economy and budget. The appeal underscores a wider debate in Europe over whether EU fiscal rules should be loosened to let governments shield households and industry from the energy price shock.

Italy and Greece have asked the European Commission for more flexibility in meeting EU fiscal rules, arguing that surging fuel prices and rising inflation are straining their budgets. The two countries are the bloc's most heavily indebted, and both face national elections next year, adding political urgency to the request.

Italy plans to ask the European Union for deficit flexibility worth 0.6% of GDP in 2027, a move under the EU's fiscal rules that would let Rome deviate from standard deficit reduction requirements. The request signals the Italian government is seeking room in its medium-term budget plans, and markets and fiscal watchers are tracking how Brussels responds to the appeal.

Italy will ask the European Union for deficit flexibility worth 0.6% of GDP in 2027, while raising its 2026 GDP growth forecast to 0.8% from the 0.6% projected in April. Rome also expects the 2026 deficit to fall below 3% of GDP, the EU's reference threshold, as it seeks room in next year's budget planning.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen requesting flexibility in EU fiscal rules, arguing that Middle East turmoil has driven energy prices sharply higher and inflated Italy's spending. The appeal puts Rome at odds with strict budget discipline and reopens debate over whether the EU should ease deficit targets for countries hit by external shocks.

Italy's government expects its budget deficit to drop below 3% of GDP in 2026, a threshold consistent with the EU's fiscal rules. The projection suggests Rome believes its fiscal consolidation path is on track, despite earlier concerns about its spending plans. Observers are watching whether the target is realistic given Italy's high debt burden and the country's ongoing negotiations with European institutions over its medium-term budgetary plans.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is pressing the European Commission for greater flexibility on budget rules as high energy prices strain Italy's economy. The government argues the energy shock justifies extra fiscal space beyond EU deficit limits, setting up a debate in Brussels over how far fiscal discipline should bend amid the cost-of-living squeeze.