Italy to assess Banco BPM-Credit Agricole Italia tie-up in coming weeks, PM Meloni says

Italy ​will assess ​whether to apply its "golden ‌powers" to ​a proposed tie-up between Banco BPM and the ‌Italian unit of French Credit Agricole in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said ‌on Tuesday. So-called golden power rules allow ‌the government to block or set conditions on mergers affecting strategic assets including in the financial ⁠sector.

"We ​will ⁠see in the coming weeks," Meloni told ⁠reporters in Bologna, northern Italy. "Clearly, we always do ​what we are required to do ⁠and what the law obliges us to do ⁠within ​the scope of our responsibilities to safeguard the national interest, as we ⁠have done in the past and will continue ⁠to ⁠do in the future. That applies to everyone," she added.