The Capitol odyssey won't end anytime soon. The Government withdrew the Salva Roma decree, which contained (among other things) the rules necessary to avoid the default of the Capitoline coffers. For Mayor Ignazio Marino and his administration, however, there is still hope: the Minister for Relations with Parliament, Maria Elena Boschi, has already assured that the Executive will study "a new provision after careful evaluation of content".
For Salva Roma, this is the second withdrawal after the one decided by the Letta government before Christmas. This time the fate of the measure was decided by the obstructionism of the oppositions: Boschi explained to the Montecitorio group leaders that the high number of amendments could have kept the Chamber busy for 215 hours, well beyond the expiry of the measure.
The general discussion on the text had been underway since yesterday evening and in the morning 14 deputies were still waiting to speak, all from Lega and M5S, with half an hour available. The provision therefore had no hope of being converted into law within the 60-day term of its enactment – which would have expired on Friday – and any forfeiture would have further complicated the government's task, given that expired decrees cannot be reiterated.
The withdrawal was therefore a strategic move, especially since – even without Salva Roma – the week of Parliament is already quite intense. The Senate today gave the definitive green light to the Milleproroghe (with 135 yes, 20 no and 78 abstentions), while the assembly of the Chamber from tomorrow will have to face the vote on the tax delegation for final approval, after the ok arrived this morning in the Finance Committee.
