His main fields of study are macroeconomics and political economy, with particular emphasis on dynamic public finance and the effects of intergenerational conflicts on the economy. Francesco holds a M.Sc. in Economic Theory and Econometrics from the Toulouse School of Economics and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Bologna. After completing his doctorate, he joined the Department of Economics at the University of Vienna as an Assistant Professor. He has held visiting positions at Brown University and Washington University in St. Louis.