The clash between the majority and the opposition over healthcare and the budget law

On Tuesday, according to what we learn, there will be the first meeting between the majority group leaders and the president of the Montecitorio Budget Commission, the Italian Giuseppe Mangialavori. The process of the maneuver approved two days ago by the Council of Ministers is still to be planned, as is that of the tax decree, ‘disputed’ between the Chamber and the Senate because, this is the belief of many, it could contain more space to try to impact on resources . The government has repeated that there are few funds but a compromise will be found, perhaps after a meeting also at Palazzo Chigi, to arrive at a small ‘treasure’ for the groups’ requests, which in any case will not be like last year’s (400 million). Among the parties that support the executive there is an awareness that the alert on the amendments will arrive but the attempt to have a margin of autonomy will be continued. Perhaps already in the Council of Ministers on Monday, then after the meeting the maneuver should arrive at Montecitorio and be illustrated by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The Prime Minister intervened early in the morning: “I hear many falsehoods in these hours about healthcare and the budget law. So – she underlined – let’s make it even clearer: +6.4 billion for Healthcare in two years, +2.37 billion in 2024 and +4.12 billion in 2025”. And again: “Record in the history of Italy for the national health fund: 136.48 billion in 2025 and 140.6 billion in 2026. These are the numbers. The rest are mystifications”.

“The maneuver is closed but – said vice-president Antonio Tajani – it can be improved in Parliament as regards the Irpef rates, which can be reduced from 35 to 32 percent and expand the platform up to 60 thousand euros”. There is no shortage of demands, with ministers awaiting the final text. Then the train for approval will leave within the year, even if the government and majority have to deal with it an ‘overcrowding’ of measures and decrees to be converted. Among other things, a decree from the Ministry of the University on university competitions will arrive in the Council of Ministers on Monday to allow the regular continuation of the work of the judging commissions. A rule is needed to avoid any slowdowns and consequently an impasse for those who intend to apply for the purposes of continuing their academic and research careers. The rule is part of the broader reform of the university recruitment system, which is underway by the Ministry of the University and could be combined with other measures of the Ministry of Education. The majority then finds themselves facing some fibrillations linked to the dossiers on the table. As with the seaside resorts: FI and Lega in particular are pushing to reopen the terms of the agreement with the EU in the infringement law, but at the moment there doesn’t seem to be any space even on the issue of compensation.

The clash between the majority and the opposition over the budget law

While the ministers are vigilant about the cuts that will be made, the recommendation given to the center-right groups is clear: avoid attacks on the diligence, also because it is necessary to look in perspective and not at the regional elections, the spaces to carry forward their respective workhorses will open up more beyond, is the reasoning. “We worry about the propaganda that we heard yesterday too, because they continue to give numbers on healthcare, but the most interesting number they give is the one that nails them to their lies because healthcare spending which, throughout the world, is calculated on the GDP , is at 6.3, 6.4, 6.2 for the next three years so it is useless for Meloni to continue saying that he has made the largest investment in history. Health spending on GDP in Italy is at a standstill“, attacks the secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein. “We are very far from reality. Especially on the subject of healthcare”, writes the group leader of the 5 Star Movement in the Senate, Stefano Patuanelli, on social media. “Just as in autumn the leaves fall at the first gust of wind, even the lies end up the same way: in the government’s maneuver no new taxes for banks and insurance companies but a simple loan is requested”, states Nicola Fratoianni of Avs. “The maneuver does not keep its promises”, the opinion of Ettore Rosato of Azione. “The middle class will pay the price”, claims the senator from Italia viva , Silvia Fregolent.

“You can contest anything about this maneuver but not that it goes against the ‘poor things’. It goes in the direction of those who have less than 35 thousand euros of income”, said minister Giancarlo Giorgetti during question time in the Senate. And again: “Our ambition is to help those who need it most. The increase in house taxes is absolutely false. The government has created the public finance conditions to lower taxes on medium-low incomes.” “The confidence of the markets belies the owls of the left”, relaunches the group leader of Fdi, Tommaso Foti. “Important measures for families and birth rates”, says the leader of Noi Moderates, Maurizio Lupi. “There are, among others, reliefs also for mothers with two children”, points out the Mef, “a specific fund to cover this expense. Furthermore, the measure will be extended to self-employed women”.