A special law for Milan. The debate has resurfaced just as Parliament is discussing the special law for Rome as the capital, which would provide the city with the necessary powers and resources. Without denying Rome’s rights and needs, which stem from its national and international political functions, institutional representation duties and history, the public debate has been reignited so that Milan may also have powers and resources commensurate with its role in the country and its status as the driving force behind one of Europe’s strongest economies  in finance, manufacturing, high-tech services, universities, science and research.

Indeed, we need a special law.

This was discussed recently (Corriere della Sera, 13 April) at a meeting organised by the Centro Studi Grande Milano at the Rizzoli bookshop in the Galleria, attended by politicians, business leaders, journalists, and cultural figures. Daniela Mainini, president of the Research Centre, sums it up clearly:  ‘Milan is a hub of ideas and the driving force behind the country, and it deserves special legislation.  This would not be a privilege, but a responsibility to provide the city with all the services and powers necessary for its development, which would stimulate and drive the country’s development’.

Two draft bills are being compared:  the proposal put forward by Romeo, leader of the parliamentary group of the Lega, which restricts special powers to the regional capital. The other is the centre-left proposal, which calls for legislation covering the entire Milan metropolitan area, comprising 133 municipalities and over 3.25 million inhabitants. The debate is ongoing. Clearly, the only option is to adopt a special law covering the entire metropolitan area.

This debate has implications for urban planning, bureaucracy, the economy, civil society, quality of life  and competitiveness.

Let’s take a look at the figures. Milan is a relatively small city with a population of 1.4 million, but every day another million people arrive for work, mostly from the metropolitan area, which has a population of over 3.25 million  (the metropolitan area of Rome has a population of 4.5 million). However, Milan and its surrounding area play a much broader role in terms of the economy, finance, technology, education, and culture. For years, Assolombarda’s competitiveness, productivity and development comparisons have placed Milan alongside Europe’s most dynamic metropolitan areas: London, Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, Barcelona and Munich. The city also tops the rankings for its universities, research centres, new opportunities and financial districts.

Milan competes on the global stage, so naturally it cannot be governed like an ordinary city that remains tied to outdated administrative structures.

We need to take a leap forward, including from an institutional perspective,  otherwise we risk being left out of the ongoing formation of new areas of geopolitical competition.

After all, cities and metropolises should be assessed not only in terms of their historical structures, but also, and above all, in terms of the flows of people, ideas, knowledge, relationships, exchanges, healthcare facilities and quality of life they offer. These social structures are in flux and undergoing rapid change,  affected by the flow of talent, discoveries and innovations.  How can we manage such vast phenomena?

To gain a realistic perspective, we need to look further afield and examine the economic geography of trade and the interlinked relationships within the vast economic region at the heart of Europe. This region encompasses at least four major Italian regions: Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto and Emilia, while also taking into account the productivity of Liguria, Trentino, South Tyrol and Friuli. All of these regions are deeply intertwined with the economic, technological and cultural drivers of other countries.

However, even if we resist the intellectual temptation to redraw administrative boundaries, the question of a new, more effective administrative system covering at least the metropolitan area remains unresolved.

This brings us back to the Metropolitan City and the special law for Milan. A mayor who is elected by all citizens of the relevant area and who is therefore endowed with political legitimacy and the necessary powers to fulfil their responsibilities. Administrative and bureaucratic reorganisation. Financial resources and effective governance rules. Activities, projects and initiatives relating to transport, services, energy, schools, healthcare, employment and, above all, housing.

There is already talk of equipping the region with tools capable of ensuring effective governance, speed, transparency and efficiency. There are many points in common between the City of Milan and the Region, and between Mayor Sala and Governor Fontana. The prospects of reaching an agreement are real.

For some inspiration, it’s worth reading Italo Calvino: ‘You take delight not in a city’s seven or seventy wonders, but in the answer it gives to a question of yours.’ The first question is this:  does living in a city with resources and influence improve your quality of life?  And what about the future of younger generations?

(photo: Getty Images)

A recently published book details experiences that set a precedent

Companies that are able to build on their identity and their work  over time enhance the value of the local area in which they are based,  and this often happens in Italy, especially in certain sectors. These ideas form the basis of the recently published book edited by Tatiana Castellotti and Gabriella Lo Feudo, titled ‘L’industria alimentare tra cultura del Made in Italy, sviluppo locale e turismo esperienziale:  il caso dei musei e degli archivi d’impresa’ (The food industry between the culture of Made in Italy, local development, and experiential tourism: the case of corporate museums and archives).

The work, edited by Castellotti and Lo Feudo, is based on a study by CREA (the Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics), which was conducted on the museums and archives of food and beverage companies. It stems from an investigation into the role of food and beverage companies in regional governance, carried out through case studies. Based on the initial examples, it emerged that museums and archives play an important role in promoting products and territories, acting as spokespersons for companies deeply rooted in the places where they are key players in socio-cultural development. Following the initial findings, the study was therefore expanded to include Food & Beverage museums affiliated with Museimpresa (which brings together companies from various sectors that have established accessible archives and museums), with the aim of providing a more comprehensive picture of the phenomenon. A picture that, in fact, has taken the form of a book.

There are six in-depth sections, ranging from the role of the food industry in the national economy, to reasons why companies should establish a place to tell their stories today. This leads to a series of examples of how ‘corporate histories’ are utilised and promoted through archives and museums. Finally, the second part of the volume features presentation profiles, specific questionnaires and in-depth analyses dedicated to significant companies such as  Amarelli, Barilla, Carli, Martini & Rossi, Cuomo, Lucano, Pasta di Gragnano, Lavazza, Peroni and Strega. For each company, the book recounts its history, approach and promotional strategies.

The collection of in-depth articles edited by Tatiana Castellotti and Gabriella Lo Feudo has one major advantage:  it clearly summarises the importance and practical applications of business activities at the intersection of production, the local area, and culture. It offers a fine selection of ‘case studies’ that could serve as a model for others.

L’industria alimentare tra cultura del Made in Italy, sviluppo locale e turismo esperienziale: il caso dei musei e degli archivi d’impresa

Tatiana Castellotti, Gabriella Lo Feudo

Rubbettino, 2026

A study presented at the University of Verona examined the challenges and opportunities associated with multiculturalism within organisations

Diversity that unites, not divides. Differences that enrich. Cultures that blend to create new ones. This is today’s wealth, which needs to be understood, including by businesses. ‘Competenze interculturali nei luoghi di lavoro. Ricerca sulla gestione delle diversità in azienda per la promozione di buone pratiche’ (Intercultural skills in the workplace: research into diversity management in companies to promote good practice) is a thesis project presented by Elena Guerra at the University of Verona. It examines a specific aspect of diversity within manufacturing organisations, focusing on the various skills that can be found there.

The research specifically aimed to investigate ‘whether and how intercultural skills are actually utilised in the workplace by men and women employed in small and medium-sized enterprises in Northern Italy, particularly in roles involving the coordination, supervision or management of work teams’. Taking into account not only cultural or religious differences, but also those related to gender, age, and other identity factors, the investigation aimed to understand which skills could improve the organisational climate and promote proactive diversity management practices. But there’s more. In fact, Elena Guerra’s work has sought to provide company executives with new guidelines for recruiting and training staff in an increasingly diverse global context.

Her research is rich in both theoretical and practical insights. She has combined existing literature on the subject with fieldwork comprising 22 interviews with managers of Northern Italian companies employing between 100 and 1,000 staff. This was followed by focus groups designed to validate the findings. This demonstrates the importance of appreciating the richness that diversity brings and how far we still have to go before reaching our goal.

Competenze interculturali nei luoghi di lavoro. Ricerca sulla gestione delle diversità in azienda per la promozione di buone pratiche

Elena Guerra

Dissertation, University of Verona, Department of Humanities, 2026

The Pirelli Foundation website is now live in a completely redesigned guise, designed to make navigation smoother, clearer, and more inclusive. We’ve sharpened the focus on our Historical Archive’s iconic heritage, giving greater impact to every image.

The main updates include a transformed Historical Archive section, with an intuitive search and browsing system that helps you explore digitised documents with ease. We have also breathed new life into our reading and libraries section, which have been streamlined and expanded with exclusive author interviews.

The introduction of new layouts across the internal pages makes navigation more fluid, ensuring greater visual coherence and a more effective presentation of digital assets: documents, photographs, and archival materials.

Extra space has also been provided for practical information on how to reach the Pirelli Foundation, the services available for different users, and accessibility details.

Special attention has been given to finer details, in order to welcome every visitor: colours and contrasts have been refined, images enhanced, homepage elements redesigned, and menus reorganised, all in line with the latest digital accessibility guidelines.

Miracle in Milan: attempting life in a 13-square-metre micro-flat in an old council block dating from 1881. It has been renovated, but only just. It has its own bathroom, which is no longer located on the balcony (although it is only 1.09 square metres in size). Amidst the whirlwind of changes sweeping through one of the world’s most expensive cities, the story of this little home has quite rightly made the news (Il Corriere and Il Giorno, 11 April). And it has started yet another debate about the quality of life in a city that is becoming increasingly divided.  On the one hand, there are the myriad lights of luxury shop windows and buildings changing hands for over a billion euros as they pass from one property fund to another. On the other hand, there are the new and old forms of poverty affecting the middle and working classes, who are struggling with a basic necessity: housing.

The story of the ‘micro-home’ (Can you live in it? Can you sell it?) is complicated by disputes over certificates and planning permissions that have been granted but then called into question. There are also bureaucratic doubts about how anyone can live in an area of just 13 square metres (less than 10 square metres if you exclude the bathroom and kitchen), when Milan’s building regulations stipulate a minimum of 28 square metres for a property to be considered habitable. However, the building dates from the 19th century, so the rules are more recent. Finally, there is a ruling from the TAR (Regional Administrative Court) that allows the owner to sell their tiny home to someone who wanted it and has already paid a deposit. It looks like the case will continue like this for some time.

The bitter aftertaste left behind is that of a story about people struggling to make ends meet while the affluent middle class no longer bat an eyelid at ordinary homes costing ten thousand euros per square metre.

A Miracle in Milan, indeed.

And yet Milan used to be something else. Without succumbing to false nostalgia or becoming too melancholic, it is worth taking a trip down memory lane and heading to the Piccolo Teatro in Milan one evening, where Claudio Longhi, the great director, is staging ‘Miracolo a Milano’ (Miracle in Milan), a ‘theatrical fairy tale in twenty chapters and a prologue’, based on the screenplay of the 1951 film by Cesare Zavattini and Vittorio De Sica and adapted by Paolo Di Paolo and Lino Guanciale (who also gives an excellent performance in the play).

This is a story of the poor, who display imagination and creativity in the art of making do. They have a strong sense of social solidarity and the ability to carve out a life for themselves, however ramshackle it may be. They also have a matter-of-fact, yet never cynical, approach to coming to terms with life as it is, with all its pain, losses, loneliness, disappointments, abandonment, unrequited love, and not having enough money to afford the luxury of nostalgia. In fact, you will laugh if you can,  or at least you will smile,  as dreams follow the canals  and the orphan Totò ‘the Good’ wisely remains optimistic despite everything.

Zavattini and De Sica wrote Miracle in Milan to depict the lives of the poor and their struggle to make ends meet while awaiting the imminent economic boom, when shop windows would be filled with double-breasted, camel-coloured coats for businessmen and fur coats for the women of the town. The film was a success,  moving from the bleakness of neorealism to a gentle, ironic melancholy.

‘Perhaps we never truly love a city in its entirety, nor do we ever truly know it in its entirety. There’s always too much going on elsewhere,  a life we know nothing about.  A city is, above all, everything else apart from us, apart from me, apart from you, the infinite points at which we exist,’ wrote De Sica and Zavattini at the time.

‘It’s a fairy tale,’ says Claudio Longhi. How much can a fairy tale encompass? How many hopes? How many times have we waited for someone or something that never arrives? How many tears? How many laughs? How many 13-square-metre flats? Is it possible to live out a love story in one’s dreams?

The time has come for Milan, thanks in part to the thoughtful work of its theatres, to start coming to terms with itself once more, and to learn to listen to its heart again in the spirit of Savinio.

The news reports are merciless, telling us that ‘after the gentrification of NoLo, it’s Via Padova’s turn, with rising  house prices driving out the poorest families’. On 27 March, La Repubblica cited data from a Polytechnic University study on the ongoing transformation of the area, reporting  that 44% of the new residents have a university degree, while 60% of those who left have moved out of town. The Polytechnic also explains that property prices in the working-class districts of Gorla, Precotto and Adriano have risen by 61% over the past 20 years, while incomes have risen by just 7%. The detailed reports state that ‘cohousing’ is becoming increasingly popular. Corriere della Sera (27 March) reports that elderly families in Cinisello have created a new kind of community in which lonely elderly people and young people struggling to find accommodation exchange hospitality for services provided to this unique, small community.

There is no doubt that cities are creative. Neither lament nor amazement is appropriate here. Cities are living, ever-changing, dynamic entities that follow market trends, though they should not be left entirely at the mercy of market forces. They do not concern themselves with dreams or ‘miracles’. Nevertheless, even without expecting miracles, good governance is required, and the council assures us that it is taking action. Milan has repeatedly shown that, despite everything, it is capable of being a community.

This is indeed part of what makes Milan so special. It’s not about performing miracles, but helping people to live dignified lives through good governance and civic responsibility. And if you do go to the theatre, the Piccolo, it is also to remember the importance of a humanity that never turns a blind eye, to remember hospitality and solidarity, perhaps wearing something between a smirk and a smile.

The magic can also return when you reread a poem. As Umberto Saba might suggest: ‘Among your stones, in your fog, I go on holiday. I rest in Piazza del Duomo. Instead of stars every evening the words light up.’

A Miracle in Milan?

Foto © Masiar Pasquali / Piccolo Teatro di Milano – Teatro d’Europa

The digital age does not mean that humans are dominated by machines

It is vital to understand technology so that you can use it rather than letting it control you. This means knowing its true nature,  and this applies to everyone, including – and in many cases especially – businesses and those responsible for running them. This is one of the key takeaways from the recently published ‘Non è colpa dell’algoritmo!  Idee per usare bene la nostra libertà nell’era digitale’ (It’s not the algorithm’s fault! Ideas for making good use of our freedom in the digital age), written by Antonio Palmieri.

Palmieri begins by considering the following: for years, it has been easy to perpetuate the narrative that we are victims of technology,  captives of algorithms, manipulated by social media and overwhelmed by artificial intelligence that makes decisions on our behalf. While this narrative is widespread, seductive and deeply comforting, it risks becoming a convenient excuse that absolves and ultimately weakens humanity itself.  Instead, the book suggests changing our perspective by starting from a different point of view:  digital platforms and artificial intelligence are not autonomous entities, but tools designed by humans and fed daily by the choices we make.

If technology works in a certain way, it is because it is used in that way. If technology does indeed influence our choices, it is because we have failed to regulate it properly. Without denying the very real risks of the digital ecosystem — from surveillance and polarisation to addiction and manipulation — the author therefore focuses on what is often overlooked in public debate:  personal responsibility.

Consequently, the focus of technology (and of the book) shifts back to the individual and their imperfect yet decisive freedom. Readers can gain an understanding of this through a series of examples, reflections, and thought-provoking ideas touching on politics, education, work, and everyday life.

Ultimately, the book takes a contrarian stance,  encouraging readers to engage with the digital world rather than be at its mercy, to use technology rather than be used by it, and to cultivate freedom rather than surrender it. Antonio Palmieri’s book is well worth a careful read.

Non è colpa dell’algoritmo! Idee per usare bene la nostra libertà nell’era digitale

Antonio Palmieri

Egea, 2026

A speech by the Governor of the Bank of Italy explores the complex relationship between the international landscape and national policy-making

Economic and social security in the face of a complex, ever-hectic and unpredictable world. This is an objective that everyone should strive for, particularly those who bear the burden of decision-making responsibilities that extend beyond their own personal sphere to affect other individuals and communities, such as entrepreneurs, managers and public decision-makers. These were the issues that Paolo Angelini, Governor of the Bank of Italy, reflected on in a speech he delivered in early April at the 16th MAECI–Bank of Italy Conference with delegates and financial attachés accredited abroad.

Angelini highlights one of the many aspects of production and social life affected by the international situation and its complexities: energy and energy supply, particularly with regard to Italy’s dependence on energy imports. Underlying this issue is the broader question of what strategies could be adopted to improve the country’s ‘economic security’.

Addressing this issue, Angelini demonstrates just how closely intertwined the relationships between different components of the economy and society are,  from major policy decisions designed to promote certain energy sources over others to the need to involve local people and communities in decision-making processes. The task of equipping oneself to tackle economic and social issues on multiple levels involves adopting technical, political, cultural and social tools. Not to mention the frequent need to resort to emergency measures to deal with urgent problems and decisions. Resilience seems to be the most important concept to bear in mind:  a resilience that cannot be built overnight and which is as much a matter of culture as technology. Paolo Angelini’s contribution really does help us to understand all this better.

Un mondo turbolento:  crisi politiche e shock economico-finanziari.  Quali strategie per la sicurezza economica dell’Italia? (A turbulent world: political crises and economic and financial shocks. What strategies are there for Italy’s economic security?)

Paolo Angelini

Bank of Italy, Address at the 16th MAECI–Bank of Italy Conference with delegates and financial attachés accredited abroad, 2 April 2026

To mark the publication of the book A Stir of the Soul: Pirelli’s 500 GPs in the F1 World Championship, edited by the Pirelli Foundation and published by Marsilio Arte, a new digital hub is now online. It celebrates this remarkable milestone through historical documents and photographs, many drawn from the Pirelli Historical Archive, revealing the richness of a 75-year story.

The site is organised into three historical periods. The first (1950–1958) retraces the early years of the World Championship, when Pirelli raced alongside Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz, with champions such as Giuseppe “Nino” Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio and Alberto Ascari. The second (1981–1991) marks Pirelli’s return to Formula 1 during the turbo era, which brought the epic duels between Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet, and the emergence of Michael Schumacher. The third period (from 2011 to the present day) sees Pirelli supplying tyres to every team. In these years the company has helped shape races that have become ever more strategic and spectacular: from the Red Bull era to the dominance of Mercedes, through to the Hamilton–Verstappen rivalry, the new rules introduced in 2022, and the worldwide success of the Drive to Survive series, which is drawing new fans and young talents such as Lando Norris.

The story is further enriched by a selection of images from the artistic photo shoot by the photographer Darren Heath at the 2025 Silverstone Grand Prix, capturing all the energy, adrenaline and contemporary spirit of Formula 1.

Developed with accessibility and user experience in mind, the site brings together a rich photographic and editorial heritage. It tells the story of Pirelli’s long presence in the F1 World Championship, from the first race on 13 May 1950 at Silverstone to the present day. It also includes institutional contributions, data, dashboards and infographics on drivers and teams, and on the records and milestones achieved over seven decades of racing.

Visit the website: pirelli500gp.fondazionepirelli.org/en

The seventh Nomisma, CRIF, CRIBIS report on ‘Controvento (against the wind) companies’ is published

‘Controvento companies’, which have been the subject of detailed analysis for some time, serve as sources of inspiration, not models to be slavishly imitated. They are well-rounded businesses in the Italian manufacturing sector, capable of achieving above-average results even in challenging economic conditions. There are many such companies, and as noted, they are the subject of specific studies carried out by the ‘Controvento:  le aziende che guidano il Paese’ (Against the wind: the companies leading the country) Observatory. The seventh report was recently published by Nomisma in collaboration with CRIF and CRIBIS, a CRIF Group company specialising in providing businesses with information, solutions, and consultancy services.

These are companies that serve as role models. They have continued to grow stronger over the years, which suggests that their success is no fluke. They clearly draw strength from their own unique production culture, which is distinctive yet not inimitable. However, the annual survey indicates that ‘Controvento companies’ reveal a structural divergence between production models capable of generating value, and those that struggle to embark on a sound growth trajectory. Nevertheless, researchers at Nomisma, CRIF and CRIBIS warn that this group of well-managed companies is by no means a minority. An analysis of aggregated 2024 financial statements — the most recent figures analysed by the researchers — reveals that 7.4% of Italian manufacturing companies are so competitive that they fall within the ‘Controvento enterprises’ group, spanning all size categories from small and medium-sized enterprises to a smaller core of large companies with significant revenue. This distribution shows that the ability to achieve above-average performance depends on a combination of factors, not just the scale of production.

So, what are these factors? The indicators analysed by the Observatory paint a picture of a business sector characterised by greater resilience, a strong willingness to embrace change, and a more pronounced competitive focus. In other words, these characteristics signify a focus on innovation and the ability to adapt, as well as consistent production performance and a focus on change. They also signify the integration of digital technologies with what is broadly referred to as ‘human capital’.

The research carried out by Nomisma, CRIF and CRIBIS is part of a series of analyses and studies designed to shed light on the current state of the economy and the businesses driving it, as well as its future prospects.

Controvento: le aziende che guidano il Paese

VARIOUS AUTHORS.

Nomisma in collaboration with CRIF and CRIBIS, 2026

The characteristics and potential of increased life expectancy as a driver of positive societal and economic change

Can ageing be seen as a resource rather than a burden? This is particularly relevant today in an era of welfare and a general increase in life expectancy, at least in so-called affluent societies. The reality is that an ageing population is often portrayed as a problem for public finances and the welfare system itself, the very system that has contributed to this demographic shift. Alberto Brambilla, President of the Itinerari Previdenziali Centre for Studies and Research, in his recently published book ‘Longevity Economy. Da Silver a Longevity, la grande economia dei prossimi decenni’ (From silver to longevity, the great economy of the coming decades), asks whether ageing might not, in fact, be one of the greatest economic opportunities of the coming decades.
In order to answer this question, Brambilla analyses the structural transformation of Western societies, drawing on data and observations of the increase in life expectancy and the growing influence of the over-50s on consumption, savings, and economic trends. Above all, the author emphasises that this section of many contemporary societies represents a wealth of experience, skills, spending power and savings which is still widely overlooked. The book’s message is clear: to promote the role of people over the age of 50, public policies, business strategies and personal services must be rethought to better reflect demographic realities.
This is the Longevity Economy that Brambilla describes, which could guide business strategies, services and public policies towards a model that makes the most of every stage of life. In this way, longevity, a consequence of progress, becomes a driving force for progress and inclusion, capable of transforming the culture of community life and production.

Longevity Economy. Da Silver a Longevity, la grande economia dei prossimi decenni
Alberto Brambilla
Guerini Next, 2026