He is fortunate to have taken over just as the global recession is hitting Italy. So far Mr Berlusconi has pushed through only limited counter-measures, insisting that Italy is better placed than other countries to weather the storm. That leaves him vulnerable to accusations of complacency. Mr Franceschini proposed that Italy’s unemployed should each get a monthly cheque from the state. Many have only partial entitlement to welfare benefits. Mr Berlusconi dismissed the idea as “unsustainable”. His rival then came up with another wheeze: to add 2% to the income-tax rate of Italy’s richest citizens (those with earnings over €120,000, or $160,000) and use the proceeds to alleviate the plight of the poorest. The prime minister responded: “You don’t solve problems with alms.” He also argued that Italy’s huge public debt (more than its GDP) makes generosity reckless. “I have the impression”, says Mr Franceschini, “that he thinks that, since the crisis is global, the only responses are global.” The PD’s leader is not alone in pressing for more. On March 18th the head of the employers’ federation, Emma Marcegaglia, was summoned by Mr Berlusconi after complaining that business needs “real money”, not old commitments dressed up as a stimulus. The outcome was a €1.3 billion loan-guarantee fund for small firms.
Appunti di un anonimo italiano
23/3/2009
