Some argue that the president Giorgia Meloni he presented to Parliament not a government program, but a political manifesto more suitable for a party congress than for parliamentary halls. It is an ungenerous judgment because it is normal that when presenting at Rooms the President of the Council indicates the general lines which will inspire the decisions of the new government, trying to clarify the point of arrival of its policy. In about an hour and ten minutes of speech, President Meloni gave various political indications both on international issues and on many domestic political issues. In some cases she was clear-cut and convincing, while in other cases she appeared more uncertain, avoiding dissolving the contradictions between certain attitudes of her past and the need to act with pragmatism (as she herself has repeatedly stated she wanted to do) to face the stormy situation in which he finds himself at the time of taking command of the ship Italia.
To move with ease in his long and passionate speech, we have identified the five most convincing points and the five that in our opinion remain a bit obscure.
Meloni: in the first place there is the need to return to growth
In the first place it was clear in indicating the "growth” as the only way to reduce the public debt and to once again give satisfaction to Italians in terms of wages and improvement of public services. This is an important point that no government before Draghi had set as the guiding flag of its action. Meloni said she was willing to do what was necessary to free Italy's energies even at the cost of displeasing someone or even risking not being re-elected.
His reasoning was very clear Basic income, especially in the reply, where he explained that this welfare measure is in practice the admission of a defeat. In other words, politics has declared that nothing can be done to defeat poverty by offering a job with career prospects and therefore condemns people to live on public subsidies. Work, on the other hand, is the only means that allows dignity to be given to people who are also called to contribute to the well-being of the entire community.
He has repeatedly valued entrepreneurs by stating that his Government will have the objective of do not disturb those who want to do. Liberal accents, but not corroborated by concrete indications of measures to be taken. Excellent speech on "merit" that starts from the school, but then must be extended to the entire system. It is a mistake - he argued - to level the point of arrival because otherwise, according to some, inequalities would be created. On the contrary, the State must level the starting points and then individual merit will decide at which level each person will want to place themselves. And after all, in this field you can boast of your experience as an "underdog" who with your own strength has risen to the position of prime minister. Finally, you were clear and clear on foreign policy, on joining NATO, on staying in Europe, on contrasting Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Among the negative points is his vision of a Europe of homelands
But if we move from global foreign policy to Europe, we realize that Giorgia Meloni says much less convincing things. In her opinion, Brussels should deal with less detailed things and do better strategic issues such as the fight against the pandemic or an energy policy. These complaints clash with his idea of Confederal Europe, that is, of a union of sovereign states which from time to time (if unanimity is found) will be able to delegate certain powers to Brussels. But it is precisely because the States did not want to delegate powers over health policy, energy, as well as over the common budget or foreign and defense policy to Brussels, that the EU finds it hard to have a say on the global scene where the Russian nationalists and very black clouds are gathering.
MELONI, AMBIGUITY ON THE BUDGET POLICY AND MAXIMUM CONFUSION ON INDUSTRIAL POLICY
Some ambiguities also remain on fiscal policy. It is true that he said that for now the promises of the electoral campaign cannot be implemented flat tax, pensions, but then he mentioned the need to reduce the tax wedge as well as obviously dedicating the maximum resources to limiting the effects of high energy costs and reducing inflation, also through the reduction of VAT on some popular products. Considering that interest rates are going up, some of his statements are not entirely reassuring to avoid that we too will end up like Great Britain.
Maximum confusion on industrial policy where statist pushes (for example on the networks) peep out, alongside the vaunted intention to reduce bureaucracy and rely on the entrepreneurial spirit of the Italians. Not a word about competition policy which instead should be a cornerstone of every sincere liberal.
There is also some mess on the foreign investments. We want them (but today we are bringing up the rear of Europe) but it must not be speculative investments. Who should investigate the intentions of the multinational eager to establish itself in Italy?
Finally on institutional reforms, there is the risk of implementing differentiated autonomy immediately without simultaneously reviewing the powers and functionality of the central authority, thus giving a definite blow to our already fragile institutions.
As you can see lights and shadows. The latter are destined to worsen due to the latent conflict within the majority parties. Berlusconi has already bombed the foreign policy, while Salvini is preparing to wage war on budgetary policy. The president said she wanted to "overturn the negative predictions" about her government. But it won't be easy with the fellow travelers he meets.
