The bloodletting is underway. And as the hours pass, the more Sardinian motorists' wallets are emptied. Yesterday, throughout the day, the signs displayed at every gas station on the island were retouched several times. In the early hours of the morning, prices were still "affordable," with gasoline at just over €1.70 per liter and diesel just over €1.80. Then, the mad rush pushed diesel well above the psychological threshold of €2 per liter until the evening, and super fuel averaged €1.95. This sudden surge has drawn the attention of consumer associations, furious at yet another price hike that smacks of pure speculation.

In the trenches

"It's the same story every time," says Giorgio Vargiu, regional president of Adiconsum, almost dejectedly. "After fuel prices spiral out of control, calls are made to the government to curb them. The government promises severe action and activates the competition watchdog, which in turn only confirms the sudden spike in costs. But it all stops there. Because no one has the power to intervene. And so the vultures can continue to prey on families, disguising all these price increases as a normal free market dynamic ."