Stories from Rome · Italy

British tennis player Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Italian Open due to a virus. Raducanu has not competed since March and may enter the French Open at Roland-Garros without playing a competitive match on clay this season.

Maurizio Lupi has introduced a bill to the Chamber of Deputies' Finance Commission to expand the Art Bonus program. The proposal aims to include private entities to strengthen public-private collaboration in cultural valorization.

Politicians in Rome are proposing changes to the electoral system to ensure governability. Politicians in Italy have proposed the implementation of direct elections for single-member districts.

The first civil section of the Court of Cassation is reviewing an appeal regarding the legitimacy of the current electoral law. The review focuses on potential unconstitutionality issues, including the legality of inter-legislative processes and the 3% threshold for both chambers. The Committee of Popular Initiatives is involved in the proceedings. The court must determine if the law should be referred to the Constitutional Court. The process includes an examination of whether international treaties comply with the Italian Constitution. If treaties are found to be incompatible with constitutional principles, Italy may be required to withdraw from them. An ambassador discussed the political impact of these constitutional reviews. Proposals under consideration include the direct election of candidates in single-member districts.

The Italian Space Agency has been commissioned by the government to conduct a Phase A industrial study for a national low-earth orbit (LEO) telecommunications satellite constellation. The project aims to create a secure, resilient, and low-latency network.

A new decree has been issued that will increase the powers of commissioners overseeing the Messina Bridge projects. This development was discussed in relation to policy implementation and potential economic impacts.

The Italian Court of Auditors is conducting a preventive legitimacy review of an agreement regarding the Gran Sasso water system security. The mandate for the commissioner overseeing the A24 and A25 routes and the Gran Sasso water system has been extended until December 31, 2028.

Russian tennis player Alina Korneeva, 18, advanced to the main stage of the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome. She defeated Austria's Lily Tiger in the qualification final with a score of 6-3, 6-3. The tournament is scheduled to take place from May 5 to May 18. She will compete against top-ranked players. The 18-year-old former junior world number one lost to Pamm Udvardy with a score of 2-6, 6-7. The match took place as part of the ongoing tournament in Italy. In the opening round, Zhang Zhizhen lost to German player Altmeir with a score of 1-2.

More than 630,000 citizens aged 18 to 34 have left Italy in recent years, according to parliamentary discussions. This movement represents a loss of human capital for the nation.

The context for this call was not specified. The minister's remarks were made in a public address.