Nuns' beach club fight highlights Italy's concession debate

The Sisters of Charity of Saint Mary are fighting local council plans to reclaim their beach club in the Ligurian town of Spotorno, according to The Guardian. The nuns have run the seaside establishment for decades, arguing that the concession funds their charitable activities, including support for the elderly and disabled.

The dispute is the latest flashpoint in a long-running national debate over the monopoly of private beach concessions in Italy, a system that has drawn criticism from the European Union and domestic reformers alike. The Guardian reports that the council's move has sparked public sympathy for the nuns, whose club has become a beloved local institution.