We were “massacred” for trying to help not the rich, but those who earn “reasonable amounts”. But there is no problem: we think we are “right”. Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti defends the government’s choices and tries to dismiss the criticism that has fallen on the Irpef cut for the middle class contained in the budget. But the controversy is reignited by Dem leader Elly Schlein, who recalls the owner of the Mef: look at the Istat data. And he launches a challenge to the executive: to bring the “redistribution of wealth” to the center of the debate. Days later, the echo of the comments raised by Istat, the Bank of Italy, the Upb and the Court of Auditors on the effects of the reduction of the second Irpef rate has not yet died down. The minister, who had already immediately reassured on the protection of average incomes, returns to clarify. «We need to understand what is meant by rich: if someone who earns 45 thousand gross, therefore around 2 thousand net, is rich, Istat, Bankitalia and Upb have a slightly different conception of life…», he says in a video interview at the Bergamo Città d’Impresa Festival.
«Judging and evaluating the behavior of others is done quickly, but taking responsibility and squaring the circle in a situation of war and instability is more complicated», is the pointed reply. And then we forget what was done. «In recent years we have intervened on the weakest classes», putting in 18 billion last year, reconfirmed again this year, to which is added the stabilization of the contribution wedge; now let’s make a “further effort” by covering “also the income range up to 50 thousand euros”: “it seems like sensible logic over a multi-year horizon”, underlines the minister, who does not hide a certain disappointment: I think that a calm and objective analysis” of the overall maneuver “could lead to very different results”.
But the climate remains warm. Also fueled by the opposition. “Istat has indicated that it is an intervention from which 85% will benefit the richest families in that bracket”, insists PD secretary Schlein, recalling that the measure will give “30 euros more per year to those who earn 30 thousand euros but will give 440 more per year to those who earn 199 thousand, so once again they are helping the richest”. This is “the truth that lies in their choices”, underlines Schlein, who promises: “We will be those who want to bring a fundamental word for the left to the center of the debate, the redistribution of wealth, of power, but also of time which has become a fundamental resource.” «Giorgetti in a panic today tries to defend the indefensible by saying that it is not a maneuver for the rich», adds Angelo Bonelli of Avs. «Meloni continues to shift attention while oppressing Italians with à gogo taxes on families, businesses and workers», accuses M5s vice president Mario Turco, who relaunches the idea of a “raider tax” on speculative financial operations. This government has managed to pit «the second to last against the last», comments the five-star leader Giuseppe Conte.
Meanwhile, the maneuver is preparing for the test of parliamentary changes, with the parties’ amendments expected in the Senate on Friday. Giorgetti, who has already opened up on short-term rentals, dividends and credit compensation, also promises changes on hyper- and super-amortization for businesses. «We will try to find a solution», he announces: making it «multi-year – he says – would be a good thing». For the banks, however, Giorgetti reserves yet another jab: it is easier to earn with “the static management of deposited money”, but they must return – he warns – to “concentrate on traditional credit activity”. While in view of Thursday’s Ecofin, which will deal with the topic of energy, the owner of the MEF is preparing to “defend our good reasons on the taxation” of gas: otherwise, he warns, “it will be the tombstone for the Italian industry from 2033 onwards”.