Petrol heading towards €2.50? Government mulls countermeasures as anger mounts
I stop at my usual café in front of the station and overhear two people commenting on the prices at the petrol station: "Two euro six a litre for diesel, have you seen? It's madness." It's no longer just small talk over coffee; it's become a daily war bulletin. And the designated culprit, as always, is the government. With fuel duty staying put and promises vanishing like our money into the tank, the feeling is that the Italian machine is sputtering, while filling up burns a hole in your wallet.
The dance of fuel duty and crazy prices
In government buildings, they say they're studying new moves. But we Italians have seen this too many times: they announce, meanwhile prices race ahead. And we're not just talking about petrol. Look at diesel: on the motorway, self-service has broken through the two-euro barrier, and that's self-service, mind you, not full-serve! It's a hammer blow that hits everyone, from lorry drivers to commuters. The official excuse is always the same: the cost of raw materials and international tensions. But talk of cutting fuel duty remains in limbo, amid smoky meetings and lip service. Meanwhile, here's what's really happening at the pumps:
- On urban roads: petrol is now consistently above €2.10 a litre. Diesel, incredibly, has overtaken petrol in some places.
- On motorways: it's a jungle. Self-service diesel has hit peaks of €2.2, and as for full-serve, let's draw a veil over it.
- On main roads and outskirts: only a few independent stations are holding out, but you need the patience to hunt them down and the luck to find one that hasn't raised prices yet.
The fear of the Gilets Jaunes (and not only)
And as fuel prices become a daily blow, many look to France with a certain apprehension. The spectre of the Gilets Jaunes movement has never been so alive. They started there, over a diesel price hike, and brought a country to a standstill. The point is that when filling up costs as much as a meal out, anger rises. And you don't need to own a beautiful Villa with terrace, barbecue and garden to feel under siege: even those living in the suburbs who have to commute into the city every day are at breaking point. Let alone those who might have booked a Chalet Carrer Ondategui close to the beach for their holidays, hoping to save on travel, only to find themselves grappling with these crazy prices for getting around. The dream of a seaside break is shattered by the first fill-up.
We're not in Kazakhstan, where in 2022 the Kazakhstan protests started over a fuel price hike and then escalated into something much bigger. But the lesson is clear: touching people's wallets, especially on mobility, is like walking through a minefield. The government knows this and, amid one statement after another, tries to avoid the spark that could blow the lid off. For now, the only certainty is the pump meter spinning ever faster, while we watch and curse under our breath.