The first Council of Ministers after the summer break promises to be more memorable for its political disputes than for its economic measures. Among the notable news, the official nomination of Raffaele Fitto as Italy’s representative to the European Commission marks an important step. But the real political spectacle was the face-to-face confrontation between Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini, born out of the recent long-distance controversy over ius scholae. According to what Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, comforted by the latest Istat data on employment, this meeting would have re-established harmony within the coalition, although it remains uncertain whether the Foreign Minister’s proposal to grant citizenship to millions of young people born in Italy to foreign parents will proceed. Was it just August chatter, as the Lega Nord claim, or is there something serious going on? The issue will soon be decided in Parliament, where the centrist leader of Azione Carlo Calenda, in order to “flush out” the government majority (and especially Forza Italia), has presented an amendment to modify the 1992 law, n. 91, introducing rules that would allow foreign children, after ten years of school, to become Italian citizens, provided they have completed their schooling and fulfilled their compulsory education.
In the meantime, the center-right has reiterated its support for Kiev, while declaring itself against any military intervention outside the Ukrainian borders. “Total harmony on all issues, starting with foreign policy,” party leaders declare. The next budget law, like the previous ones, will be presented as “serious and balanced,” with priorities such as tax cuts, support for young people, families and birth rates, and incentives for companies that hire. However, there is still no sign of any concrete measures, following the autumnal custom of sounding out public opinion through various “trial balloons”. An example is the idea of abolishing deductions on some medical expenses in the tax return leaked by the Ministry of Economy. The rest is reduced to declarations of intent and catchphrases, such as “the season of money thrown out the window and bonuses is over and will not return as long as we are in government.” Giorgia dixit.
Among the measures announced are the European directive on crypto-asset markets and the one for the protection of workers from risks related to carcinogens. On the table is also a bill to ratify and implement some international agreements, including the Guarantee Agreement for the emergency restoration of hydroelectric power plants between the Ukrainian government, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Italian government. However, on issues that are even more crucial for Italians, such as the minimum wage, inflation, recovery incentives, the fight against tax evasion and the ecological transition, public debt, the Stability Pact, the silence is deafening. Even on the single allowance for families, despite recent rumors, little is known. Ultimately, there is still a lot to wait, hoping that the promises will soon translate into concrete actions.
