Italy's top court upholds shutdown of former Ilva steelworks, in setback to Meloni

​Italy's Supreme ​Court upheld ‌a lower court ​ruling ordering the shutdown of ‌blast furnaces at the former Ilva steelworks in the southern city of ‌Taranto, on health and environmental grounds, ‌legal sources said on Thursday. The ruling hampers efforts by Giorgia Meloni’s government to rescue ⁠the ​country's ⁠largest steelmaker, adding uncertainty for the plant ⁠and its roughly 8,000 direct ​employees less than a year before the ⁠general election.

The Court of Cassation ⁠rejected ​an appeal against a decision by a Milan court which ⁠had ordered the furnaces to be ⁠shut ⁠on health and environmental grounds.