Italy labels Sicily bridge a military project amid NATO spending push

The Italian government, backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, gave final approval in August for a 3.7‑km suspension bridge across the Strait of Messina. If completed, it would become the world’s longest single‑span bridge. Meloni presented the structure as essential for national defence, linking the project to NATO’s target that European members spend 5 % of GDP on defence by 2035 – a goal amplified by pressure from the United States under President Donald Trump.

The bridge is positioned as a symbol of Europe’s struggle to meet rising defence budgets while confronting fiscal strain from pandemic‑related debt and higher interest rates. Analysts note that most EU countries, aside from Germany, face tight budgets, and the project highlights tensions between defence spending and social welfare financing across the continent.