Italians (mostly) embrace the “green corridor” of vaccination testing on its first day

The government says the corridor will increase economic activity, not least by allowing a more normal life to resume. For example, seat capacity on the national high-speed rail network will be increased from 50% to 80%, which means more business travel and economic activity.

But it is also clear that he is also aiming to vaccinate Italians like Mr. Galatolo.

Mr. Draghi, whose government consists of a broad coalition of parties, has shown a tendency to put in place populist politicians who trade in spreading unreasonable suspicions. Among them is Matteo Salvini, the leader of the National League and Italy’s most powerful politician, who fought for supremacy under Mr. Draghi.

Mr Salvini has put forward an ambiguous position, taking both directions, on the vaccine. One day he returned to the populism that made him the most popular Italian politician, saying that those who oppose vaccinations should be listened to, that vaccinations are useless for young people, and that the green lane should not be mandatory to enter restaurants and bars. . The next day he announced his support for Draghi and his policy.

Last month, when it was suggested that a wider green lane would deprive half of Italians of the “right to life”, Draghi did not have one.

“The request not to vaccinate is an invitation to die,” Draghi said in response to Salvini’s comments. “Don’t get vaccinated, you get sick, you die.” He added that refusing to vaccinate “people will die.”

The next morning, Mr. Salvini was vaccinated.

Salvini said he had already booked his vaccine, and that he did so not based on what Draghi said, but rather as a “free choice and not because someone forced it on me”.