“The provision is based on three strong points: 1) progressive abrogation of public funding in favor of voluntary contributions, with graduated concessions; 2) the State will be able to provide services instead of money to encourage the participation of citizens in political life; 3) the taxpayer will be able to decide whether to assign the 2 per thousand to his party or to the State”. This was stated by the Minister of Constitutional Reforms, Gaetano Quagliariello, illustrating at the press conference the bill passed this morning by the Council of Ministers.
There will therefore be “television spaces, venues and places for congresses, exemptions on telephone and electricity bills. And the Government has requested a delegation to improve, to incentivize the provision of services to the parties,” explained the minister.
But not all of these measures will start at the same time. “The mechanism of tax breaks and the 2 per thousand began to be active in 2016 – added Quagliariello -. Funding will be reduced by 40% next year, by 2015% in 50 and by 60% the following year. The budgets of the parties will also have to be certified".
Quagliariello pointed out that "those parties that want concessions on contributions from private individuals must in any case have a statute that guarantees certain criteria of democracy, which are established in the law".
