The Government has abolished public funding to parties by decree. Or rather, the "electoral reimbursements", the formula with which in 1994 the funding had been disguised after the abrogation sanctioned by referendum in 1993.
“And one has gone: abolished public financing of parties! Now on with the reduction of the number of parliamentarians #eccoifatti ", wrote the Minister for Reforms, Gaetano on Twitter Quagialirello, immediately after the beginning of the Council of Ministers at Palazzo Chigi.
Previously, the measure had been announced with another twitter from Enrico Read: “In April, I promised to abolish public funding for parties within the year – wrote the Premier -. I confirmed it on Wednesday. Now in CDM we keep the promise”.
“In the Council of Ministers we have just abolished public funding for parties. By decree. Commitment maintained”, confirmed Deputy Prime Minister Angelino Alfano, leader of the New Centre-right.
In all likelihood, the decree will implement the bill already approved by the CDM but stuck in Parliament for some time. The Chambers of Montecitorio and Palazzo Madama will then be called upon to convert the provision within 60 days, which in the event of rejection or failure to vote will no longer have any effect. According to the latest version of the bill, those who donate money to political parties will enjoy deductions at 37% between 30 and 20 thousand euros, at 26% between 20 thousand and 70 thousand euros.
Beppe also joined the swirl of tweets Cricket: “Enough with the chatter, Enrico Letta. Return now 45 million euros of electoral reimbursements of the Democratic Party starting with those of July. A signature is enough,” wrote the leader of the 5 Star Movement.
Today's decree instead meets the open opposition of Forza Italia senator Altero Matteoli: "The Letta government presents it as a conquest, I think instead that the abolition of public funding for parties is a serious mistake that will have a profound and negative on the quality of our democracy – he said -. To be effective and at the service of the citizens, politics must be organized and the parties are indispensable without prejudice to a serious control over their expenditure. With this wrong provision, the parties are forced to look for lenders who will then influence their choices. We are faced with a dramatic error. I hope that Parliament will reflect before giving the green light to this decree”.
