Meloni Seeks Special EU Deficit Exception for Italy's Energy Costs (euobserver.com)

• Meloni seeks EU deficit exception for energy costs
• Parallel drawn to flexible defence spending
• Debate over equal treatment of crisis spending

"Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is pushing for a special EU deficit exception to cover soaring energy costs, arguing that energy crisis spending should be treated similarly to defence spending, which already enjoys budget flexibility under EU fiscal rules. The debate raises questions about equal treatment of crisis expenditures."