Overview

• Italy’s government called the French prime minister’s televised charge of fiscal dumping totally unfounded, stressing that it does not use preferential tax policies to lure companies.
• Palazzo Chigi noted that the lump‑sum levy for new residents, introduced in 2016 at €100,000, was doubled to €200,000 under the current government and invited Paris to join action in the EU against long‑standing tax havens.
• Official figures cited in Italian media show limited use of the regime, with 1,136 opt‑ins in 2022 according to the Corte dei Conti.
• Italian political responses ranged from Salvini’s description of a grave attack to Tajani’s call for cooperation, while Economy Minister Giorgetti avoided escalation and criticized tax‑competition races.
• Coverage linked Bayrou’s remark to France’s domestic fiscal strains and markets, with analyses noting no EU procedures have been triggered and framing the row within the broader debate on tax competition in the bloc.