Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi presided over the strongest growth in at least 27 years, a feat that may be difficult to repeat as he deals with fallout from his failed attempt to become the country’s president. Last year’s 6.5% growth pushed by both industry and the services sector is a bounce back from an almost 9% decline in 2020 caused by repeated lockdowns and other Covid restrictions.

That’s the highest growth since the series started being calculated in 1995. Draghi, who became prime minister in February, embarked on a program of fiscal largesse to protect families from pandemic fallout and try to boost growth. The plan worked though there are signs of slowdown.