Italian towns seek financial freedom

Mayors of small towns across Italy are rallying in the capital, Rome, to protest against the government’s plans to cut the budgets of local councils dramatically.

The move is part of a $64bn austerity programme expected to be approved by the Italian parliament this week.

But some towns, like Filettino, are taking matters into their own hands by planning to merge towns with less than 1,000 residents into a union that shares services and administrations.

Al Jazeera’s Claudio Lavanga reports from the heart of a rebellion.