Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni once declared Italy's postal service a "crown jewel" that must stay in state hands, but she is now selling a stake as part of a privatisation programme to tackle a huge public debt.
Meloni's hard-right government aims to raise 20 billion euros ($21.6 billion) by 2026 by selling off a stake in Poste Italiane, which turns big profits through its insurance and banking operations, as well as stakes in rail company Ferrovie dello Stato and energy giant Eni.
