The opposition in Cernobbio is divided on the war in Ukraine, after having found common ground on budget, health and work. On the subject Elly Schlein, Giuseppe Conte and Carlo Calenda they confronted each other during a debate, closed to the press, with entrepreneurs at the Teha Forum, at the request of those present. According to Carlo Calenda «the Ukrainians are fighting to keep Putin away from Europe, could this cause business difficulties for someone? I have no doubt about it – he explained – . Putin is not just attacking Ukraine but is trying to undermine our democracies and he must be stopped».
According to the leader of Azione, it is “hypocritical for Italy, the only country in Europe together with Hungary, to say that yes, weapons can be used but you cannot hit the airport from which the bombings that hit your country are launched”. Orban “the gentleman you hosted yesterday – he continued -, is the fifth column of Russia and acts on behalf of Russia and so are parties who are in our Parliament who have formal agreements in place with Russia. Defense is done on Ukrainian territory and also by hitting in a limited way military objectives from which the attacks are launched”.
According to the leader of the 5 Star Movement Joseph Conte the conflict, with the consequences it is having on the economy, risks making entrepreneurs lose competitiveness and a military victory for Ukraine does not seem to be on the horizon. For this reason, “the two sides must agree on peace, a negotiated solution must be imposed to stop this dramatic conflict.”
Elly Schlein, the secretary of the Democratic Party, according to those who were able to listen, did not speak about the issue of weapons and their use also in Russian territory, but confirmed her support without ifs and buts for Ukraine. The secretary also touched on the issue of the war in Gaza, saying that just as Israel has the right to live in safety, so does Palestine.
Budget law, Calenda’s proposal
In Cernobbio it’s the day of the opposition figures who, in view of the next budget, are ready to do battle on healthcare.
At the Teha Forum, Carlo Calenda relaunched his proposal for the next budget law: “We would propose that at least the part relating to the 4 billion Irpef rates be invested in healthcare, one of the fundamental problems of this country” said the leader of Azione, finding support from the secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein: “Let’s work together” explained the Democratic Party secretary, inviting the opposition to form a common front also on the issue of waiting lists: “The queues are getting longer and Italians are giving up on getting treatment”. Even the leader of the M5s Joseph Conte he stressed that “we are the last among the G7 countries in terms of health spending”.
“Beyond the individual choices and individual scandals, this government has a gigantic problem of political leadership. It is unable to administer the country”Calenda added. The prime minister’s speech yesterday “is what every prime minister has done in this place – he added -. That is, to tell the magnificent progressive fortunes of the government. I agree with some of the things Meloni has done, some data are positive, because they are actually positive. I find what has always been done in Italy quite ridiculous, Meloni herself did it: when you are in opposition you say that everything is going badly and when you are in government you say that everything is going well. I think the problem is bigger than that”.
“Industry 5.0 arrived very late and has 13 authorization steps that make it very cumbersome,” he added. “We want to collaborate with the opposition whenever possible, sometimes we succeed, other times we don’t. But Azione will not be in a coalition where it is not clear how the energy transition is to be addressed. For us – he underlines – the Green Deal must be overcome because it is unfeasible. You must have nuclear power otherwise you will continue to run on gas”. According to Calenda “Europe is ending and the situation of all liberal democracies is the worst since 1945. Democracy will die not because of Meloni but because people will no longer go to vote because they think that politics does not help”. This summer “we witnessed the surreal debate on the ius scholae, we talked about a banal thing that all entrepreneurs would need, because we need new citizenship”, for work and to pay pensions. In the end what happens is that everyone says they agree and none of this happens”, he concluded.
Elly Schlein: There are elements of concern
“I have a background in the European Parliament, there majorities are built on dossiers and contents, an approach that I share a lot and that has led us to dialogue with Carlo Calenda and other political forces, closing important alliances for the next regional elections such as in Liguria where we have put some issues at the center”. So the secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein in Cernobbio, where he is talking with the leader of Azione Carlo Calenda and that of the M5s, Giuseppe Conte. “We are not here to embrace the government’s triumphalism nor to paint a darker picture than it is – he added -. There are elements of concern and there is growth in line with the EU. The point is to try not to be satisfied and ask ourselves what is driving this growth and how we are equipping ourselves for tomorrow”. Because according to Schlein “there is no doubt that this push comes from the PNRR, which we fought so hard for”.
Conte: a tax on extra profits is right
“We need a new Next Generation EU. We fought for this historic turning point for the EU, but it should be stabilized”, said the M5s leader Giuseppe Conte at the Teha Forum. “Only with such an instrument can the EU compete on the global stage. We should increase the EU’s net budget and counter the logic of tax havens,” Conte added. According to the 5-star leader, “the economic policy of this government seems to focus on the primary surplus, new taxes and further cuts – he concluded -, to focus on poor work and exports that are doing well but with the risk of sinking domestic demand” https://gazzettadelsud.it/articoli/politica/2024/09/08/a-cernobbio-opposizioni-divise-su-guerra-in-uraina-calenda-e-schlein-in-manovra-4-mld-alla-sanita-conte-tassa-su-extra-profitti-18891085-b530-43bc-84a2-f759cf9d27be/. “A tax on extra profits would be good and fair. We could also recover resources by cutting environmentally harmful subsidies, there is room to build an expansionary economic policy. We must invest in digital payments to combat tax evasion, increase and support wages, because real family incomes are falling and we are no longer competitive”, he concluded.