Unanimous ok on the budget variance, Berlusconi brings the center right to yes

Parliament almost unanimously approved the fourth budget variance since the beginning of the pandemic, thus freeing up around eight billion euros needed to finance new measures in favor of deferring taxes and favoring those who have suffered a drop in turnover. It was a bipartisan vote in a climate of convergence and dialogue, as desired by Colle, thanks to the renewed unity, achieved with difficulty by centre-right after days of tension: in the end, between the moderate area of Come on Italy and the more intransigent Northern League wing passes Berlusconi's line of the unitary go-ahead, an outcome to which Silvio Berlusconi had been working for weeks, also promoted by FdI and then also ridden by Matthew Salvini, who, despite some internal stomach aches, is still the leader of a united and cohesive but also responsible and credible opposition, attentive to the needs of the self-employed and VAT numbers, an electorate traditionally close to the League. In the evening, Berlusconi treads his hand speaking of "a first step in the right path of join forces against the pandemic”, that of "institutional collaboration" which implements "the appeal of the Head of State", but goes further, defining the opposition as "a responsible alternative to leading the country". The bipartisan vote is greeted by the premier Joseph Conte as an "excellent signal in this moment of particular difficulty for the country"; satisfied too Nicola Zingaretti: "Italy uniting on things to do in this dramatic emergency is good news". Satisfaction also from the 5 stars which in any case, as does the center-right, distances itself from any hypothesis of a possible integration into the majority of Forza Italia.

The synthesis comes at the end of a hectic day. At lunchtime i three center-right leaders convene a press conference in the Senate, immediately after the unanimous vote of the Chamber in favor of the new deficit and the vice president of Forza Italia Antonio Tajani announces that Fi, Lega and Fdi voted with the majority making "the interest of the Italians prevail as an absolute priority". Satisfied too Giorgia Meloni, who for days has been playing the role of mediator, to protect the unity of the coalition: “The Government agrees with us even if with delay. We have forced the majority to review its positions. We are united, no single party would have brought these results". Along the same lines Matthew Salvini which defines the yes to the deviation as "a success". However, the last few hours have left controversial aftermath, so much so that Salvini takes off a few pebbles from his shoes, indulging in phrases that sound like a warning to those who, among the Azzurri, would have tried to close the deal independently: "Next time it would be better to have direct discussions with the leaders and not private phone calls in the evening with interlocutors of those aiming to break the center-right". Some rumors speak of preferential and not fully authorized contacts with the Treasury.

The Government is working on the refreshment decree quater

The fourth Ristori decree could bring the Christmas cig, or a bonus of around 500 euros for workers on layoffs, to be financed with 1.6 billion, an expensive measure, on which a decision has not yet been made but which was discussed during the meeting between the minister of 'Economy Robert Gualtieri and the group leaders of the majority. After the go-ahead from the Chambers to the deviation of 8 billion, the aim is to pass the new decree on Sunday, to then send it to Official Gazette the same evening, in time to suspend the tax deadlines of the following day. The new chapter of the Refreshments should thus redefine the tax calendar also shifting December payments to April and expanding the audience of beneficiaries of the extensions: the stop of the Irpef, Ires, Irap advances of 30 November should cover all VAT matches and companies with a turnover of up to 50 million which suffered losses of at least 33% of the turnover in the first half of the year compared to the same period of 2019. VAT payments, social security contributions and tax withholdings for employees of mid-year will also be suspended. December and the annual VAT payment due on 27 December.

For these, however, the calculation of losses could be based on the comparison only between November 2020 and the same month of the previous year. The crux still remains minimum loss threshold, which could be brought to 50% for these payments, but in the majority the comparison continues, with Italy alive And M5S in pressing to bring this threshold into line with the 33%. The decree should also include the extension of the installments of the scrapping ter and of the balance and excerpt of 10 December for those who have outstanding debts with the tax authorities; the new deadline should be moved to March 1st. Alongside the tax package, the M5S is also pushing for new ones grants for VAT numbers and self-employed. They should then be refinanced the emergency income and the measures in support of parents with children in quarantine such as parental leave and the babysitter bonus. Next week the decree will then be absorbed into the Refreshments package under consideration by Budget and Finance committees of the Senate; the Government is working to make a dowry of 600 million available for parliamentary amendments, with the aim of concluding the examination in the Commissions and arriving in the Chamber before Christmas, to then allow for a rapid passage to the Room for definitive approval, given that the first Ristori decree expires on December 27th.

The Government is thinking of a framework law for the Recovery plan

The dossier that is most dear to the majority and the premier Joseph Conte is that of Recovery plans. The Government is working on one framework law, to a standard that outlines the powers and perimeters of the use of the funds. For the Pd it is natural that the control room should remain in Palazzo Chigi, with the involvement of all the ministers. The plan of the executive is to specify all the implementing bodies and to create Recovery offices in ministries, also involving the social partners and the Regions. There are many items of expenditure, but the compactness of the majority will depend precisely on this dossier: "On the Recovery Fund, I am confident that the EU Council December will be the decisive one”, the hope of the premier. The date circled in red is December 9, when the premier Joseph Conte will make communications in view of the European Council on which there will be a vote of the Parliament. Italy alivedoes not give up and asks for a definitive word from the premier on the matter month; "Gualtieri will have to say openly that the Government will never use it", says a Minister of the 5 Star Movement, making it clear that the pressure on the head of the Economy to take a clear position is increasingly strong.

The owner of via XX Settembre will meet with the Chambers before theEcofin but for now there is no showdown on the use of the Save States fund. In short, the knot could be resolved much later, but the dem do not intend for the moment to fuel tensions even if they do not retreat; the minister Robert Hope on 4 December it will be audited by the parliamentary intergroup created on the Mes. However for now the majority does not split, the proof is also in the words of Nicola Zingaretti that says no to the very government; the issue of the reshuffle to be placed on the political agenda perhaps after the budget law is not on the agenda, even if the Renzians do not exclude this hypothesis at all or a change of scenery at the beginning of the year in the event of a swamp. In the meantime, yesterday the table met on the economic reforms: the Democratic Party has called for a change of pace, Italy alive he insisted on the issues of work with support for the least protected such as VAT numbers, freelancers and self-employed workers, even with social safety nets.

The Government has opened the debate on the DPCM Christmas

Even baby Jesus will have to adapt to the Covid emergency and "it would not be heresy to have him born two hours early" on December 24th. Francesco Boccia, "as a Catholic" uses irony to make it clear that the Government does not intend to deviate from the line of maximum prudence during the holidays. And the premier Joseph Conte he says it clearly: “More sacrifices? It is necessary, we cannot let our guard down, the Italians are aware that it will be a different Christmas or we expose ourselves to a third wave in January, with the risk of a high number of deaths ”, a concept also reiterated by Agostino Miozzo, coordinator of the Cts. Restrictions during the holidays, with the curfew which could therefore remain at 10pm even on Christmas night, were discussed in the first meeting between the Government, local authorities and Regions on the next Dpcm which will come into force on December 4th. The Minister of Health also took part in the interim video conference Robert Hope: “The RT index is slightly above 1, but caution is still needed. We must avoid dispersing the sacrifices made so far”, so much so that the Lombardy it will likely remain red until December 3, a disgruntled governor announced Attilio Fontana. Which then, however, smoothes the tone: “I had a frank and direct discussion with Minister Speranza. We both share that Lombardy have all the requirements to pass from red to orange zone. We parted ways with the commitment to get back together very soon to verify what may really be the right date to loosen the restrictive measures in our region".

At the center of the governors' concerns is the school and the ski holidays, with the lost revenues of this sector following a now certain prolonged closure of the plants. On the first issue, "the Regions unanimously decided to suggest to the Government to postpone every January 7 reopening of teaching in presence for those who are still in distance learning today ", i.e. above all high schools, summarized the governor of Liguria John Toti, Vice-President of the Conference of Regions. As for ski holidays, the issue has an international dimension, given that other neighboring European countries could decide to allow them, thus also attracting Italian tourists. Consequently, some regional presidents would have asked the government to evaluate the border closure in the event of a ban on the reopening of ski lifts, but always within the framework of European and non-unilateral decisions, sources from the Conference of the Regions. Germany, the current president of the EU Council, is pressing for there to be a European agreement on the ski season that, according to Angela Merkel, should not start: "In the light of the Austrian position" in favor of opening the plants, "it is clear that it will not be easy, but we will try", the German Chancellor said today.

Several other points remain to be defined for the Christmas dpcm. One is that of the opening and closing times of the business for gift shopping and catering. The other is that of the movements between regions to reach relatives: on this too the prevailing orientation in the Government would be strict, with a total ban, regardless of the colors, at most with some exceptions. The new Dpcm on anti-contagion measures should in any case confirm the implementation of the current decree, with the division of Regions in three bands, and introduce specific restrictions for Christmas. In particular, the automatisms linked to monitoring should remain, which provide for the progressive transition from yellow to orange or red zone or vice versa. But the discussion on the measures for Christmas is still open in the government, which should merge with the others in one single Dpcm. Today new assessments will be made, after the comparison with the Cts and the Iss, also in the light of the new data.