The longed-for "Phase two" remains a mysterious object, at least for the moment. The Council of Ministers which met today at 15 pm, the last one in 30, did not adopt any new measures aimed at growth. Important issues remain on the table, such as the land registry reform and measures aimed at reducing debt, but the government's road is increasingly uphill.
Once again, the stomachaches of those parties who gave the go-ahead to the economic maneuver by holding their noses hindered the work of the Executive. And the bad moods focus on fundamental issues, the most controversial issues that Mario Monti's team is called upon to resolve in the coming weeks. Resistance is coming from the PDL more and more coriaceous in terms of liberalization and the tax authorities, while the Pd presses to edit the decisions already taken in the field of pension provision, in particular with regard to old age pensions.
Another incandescent chapter is that of work: the reform has already been announced by the Prime Minister and Welfare Minister, Elsa Fornero, but, after the violent clashes with the trade unions, a phase of negotiation with the social partners seems essential before announcing new interventions.
Amidst tensions and uncertainties, the fixed points for the moment are few and far from decisive. Among the novelties is the latest, a great classic: punctual like the Epiphany, from January they will start motorway toll increasesslightly above 3% on average. The definitive consent has yet to arrive, but the measure was widely expected and at this point it seems obvious.
Having digested the appetizer, it remains to select the rest of the menu. Today the premier has chosen to use the CDM precisely to choose the priorities on which to try to speed up the times. But the atmosphere that blows does not seem exactly that of the party. The room for maneuver is limited.
