The countdown has started public appointments of the Meloni Government. In less than 20 days, to be precise on January 24, the 90 days of the spoiler system, the political practice that as government changes, senior public administration officials change. According to article 19, paragraph 8 of the Bassanini law on the public administration of 2001 (which Meloni would like to modify) the "appointments of managerial function" such as heads of ministries or agencies "cease after 90 days from the vote of confidence in the government".
The image of the machete used by the defense minister Guido Crosetto it remains symbolic to represent the will to move on. Because in the ministries "there are bureaucrats who always say no," said Crosetto. The intention to go as deeply as possible is confirmed by the work of analysis and selection of suitable profiles that is going on. And then Meloni herself confirmed it during the press conference at the end of the year: “In the handover between the two governments, someone worked to fill positions before leaving. We need a revision of the Bassanini law”. A revision that for the premier means extension.
Spoil system, what it is and how it works
Thus, the political forces in government entrust the leadership of the administrative machine to managers who believe that they can not only achieve their political objectives, but also want them to achieve them. But a simple silence-dismissal is not enough, because the Quirinal would like to be informed in advance to verify the same profiles, given that the President of the Republic he must confer the position of top management with his own decree "following a resolution by the Council of Ministers, on the proposal of the competent minister".
At stake are many "hot seats" that need to be confirmed or renewed. And cold winds are already blowing. Here are the latest news on the public appointments of the Meloni government.
Public appointments Meloni: via Magrini, Rivera in the balance
Nicholas Magrini he will no longer be the general director of the Italian Medicines Agency (Aifa). The manager appointed by former minister Roberto Speranza in full explosion of the pandemic (March 2020) was relieved of his post on January 23, effectively bringing the 24-day deadline forward by only 90 hours. The Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, after hearing the opinion of the Regions will indicate the name of whoever will take his place temporarily. But he is not the first "victim" of the spoils system. Before Magrini it was his turn to John Legnini, relieved of the role of extraordinary commissioner of the government for the reconstruction of the earthquake areas, replaced by the former mayor of Ascoli Guido Castelli, obviously by Fratelli d'Italia.
But the most delicate knot concerns the Ministry of Economy (the MEF). In the sights of the majority from the beginning of the legislature there would be Alessandro Rivera, director general of the Treasury for four and a half years, for now defended by the minister of the Economy Giancarlo Giorgetti. Not a day goes by that the prime minister does not attack her management on three complicated dossiers: Ps, Eng e Tim. In its place, according to what has been learned, could come Antonino Turicchi, recently president of Ita, but certainly with less experience outside the country (especially in European negotiations).
Furthermore, the Ministry of Economy is delicate territory. Which is why any appointment is of interest not only to the Government but also to the Quirinale, as well as the rest of Europe. And a striking example is the London one. When Liz Truss fired the heads of the Treasury over the markets it was an early sign of the instability that then led to the fall of the government.
Mazzotta and Ruffini towards confirmation?
Also the relationship between Palazzo Chigi and the state accountant general Biagio Mazzotta they are not excellent, to the point that he has never been involved in the meetings on the budget law in the presidency of the Council. However, the manager does not seem to be on the "black list" of public executives and, moreover, he has technical experience that is difficult to replace.
Changes in sight also in the tax agencies: the director of the Revenue Agency, Ernesto Maria Ruffini, the Director of Customs, Marcellus Minnenna, and the director of the State property, Alessandra Dal Verme. For the first two, the expiry of their three-year mandate (January 30, 2023) coincides with the spoil system, while for director Dal Verme, the mandate would expire in May 2024. Minenna is given for certain to leave Customs. In balance Dal Verme. On the other hand, the position of Ruffini, the lawyer chosen first by Renzi as CEO of Equitalia and then by Gentiloni to lead the same agency, is more stable, may not be subject to any "machete".
The season of big nominations has just begun and will culminate in the spring with the choice of the top management of the majors Italian public groups: from Eni ed Enel a Post, Terna e Leonardo. Not subject to the spoils system, but close to the natural end of the mandate, there are many other seats: Istat, INPS e Inail. Not to mention CDP e Bankitalia.
