Italy to allow personalised number plates in budget revenue-raising move

Mixed · 2Italy's government will allow motorists to personalise their vehicle number plates, in a revenue-raising move that follows the example of the United States, Britain and other countries. 1 2 Mixed · 2Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the measure on Wednesday, 28 October, as she unveiled Italy's 2027 budget law, the last before a general election due next year, and called it a "colourful note". 1 2 Right · 1Meloni said: "One will be able to indulge oneself more or less as one sees fit, obviously at a cost. Something tells me that Italians' creativity could shine here." 1

Mixed · 2According to a decree, personalised plates will cost about €600 ($669) for cars and €360 for motorbikes. 1 2 Mixed · 2A Treasury official declined to estimate how much revenue the government expects the measure to generate. 1 2 Mixed · 2Italian car plates currently consist of two letters, three numbers and two letters, and it is unclear how far motorists will be allowed to depart from that format. 1 2

Mixed · 2The reform set off a wave of memes and jokes on social media, alongside concerns that personalised plates could allow insults and profanities. One meme showed Meloni as Marie Antoinette holding a platter of plates and saying "Let them eat personalised plates". 1 2 Mixed · 2Some welcomed the measure, including taxi drivers, who said distinctive plates could help identify legitimate operators and combat illegal services. 1 2 Mixed · 2Centre-left opposition parties called the initiative a distraction from more pressing issues the budget failed to address. Francesco Silvestri, a Five Star Movement lawmaker, said Italians had already chosen their plate and that it reads "Meloni, go away". 1 2