As ordered by the ECB, the Government's work has begun to bring forward the balance of the budget from 2014 to 2013. A 30-40 billion euro puzzle that will ruin the holidays of various ministers, forced not only to accelerate the measures envisaged by the last financial manoeuvre, but also to superimpose them on those established by decree 78 of 2010, which provided for cuts for the two-year period 2011-2012. Interventions on local authorities already risk paralyzing various administrations and the reform of assistance alone is not enough.
For these reasons, the hypothesis of a new intervention on pensions is becoming increasingly probable. And we're back to talking about measures archived not even a month ago: from the blocking of seniority measures to raising the retirement age for women in the private sector, up to cutting survivor's allowances for spouses and children. The adjustment to life expectancy of the age necessary to reach retirement, foreseen for 2013, would instead be brought forward to 2012.
All these hypotheses have already met with the opposition of the three confederal trade unions. “Measures on social security? I think all the bad things possible”, commented the leader of the CISL, Raffaele Bonanni. For Vera La Monica, confederal secretary of the CGIL, in this way "a maneuver that was born unfair would become even more crude". Also because "first the state must lose weight", points out Luigi Angeletti, general secretary of the Uil.
And this is precisely the terrain on which the Executive intends to play, convinced that the trade unions could bear the new thrust on pensions in exchange for measures that affect the privileges of the caste. A package that would start from cutting the costs of politics and state bureaucracy, to arrive, with a few more difficulties, up to the long-awaited taxation of annuities and large estates.
Tension is therefore already skyrocketing in view of tomorrow afternoon's meeting at Palazzo Chigi between the Government and the social parties, increasingly determined to present themselves as a united front. Perhaps this is why Confindustria, at least for the moment, has decided not to pronounce itself on the subject of pensions. In addition to undersecretary Gianni Letta, ministers Giulio Tremonti and Maurizio Sacconi will be present at the meeting. The premier is also expected, provided that he manages to return from Sardinia in time.
After discussions with trade unions and entrepreneurs, the owner of the Economy will explain to the parliamentary committees on Thursday the measures developed by the Government for the fateful advance of the balanced budget. A true trial by fire for the superminister, who will risk a good share of credibility (including international) and probably also the future in via XX Settembre.
Meanwhile, the mystery about the next Council of Ministers remains. According to some, it could already be held tomorrow evening, for others it won't be discussed before next week. This would eliminate the hypothesis of a decree before August XNUMXth, which would shorten the examination and discussion times by more than a third.
