And if Giorgia Meloni really goes to the government, don't worry: "Knowing Salvini and Berlusconi, it would be a lightning government", Luigi Di Maio bets. But the landing of FdI at Palazzo Chigi is not to be taken for granted, says the Foreign Minister, now head of Civic Engagement: "Citizens have the elements to decide and they will do it in the best way."
The elections come at a time of great difficulty. What scenario do you imagine, starting from September 26th?
«Even in Sardinia there is a very heavy air. September 26th is therefore the first useful day to do something vital for citizens and businesses: the Bill-Cut decree, which we propose. The state pays 80% of the bills of middle-class and poverty-stricken families and of all businesses, from small bars to large companies, until the end of the year. Companies need 13.5 billion, already identified: they are taken from the greater resources confiscated by the state on VAT and excise duties, due to inflation. The goal is to protect 120 thousand companies that risk closure and 370 thousand workers who, according to Confcommercio data, could lose their jobs ".
Can the government do something even before the vote?
«We are already intervening with the new decree to calm the increase in prices, and with the extension of the cut in excise duties on petrol until 5 October. At the same time, we continue to fight for a sacrosanct measure in the EU: the ceiling on the price of gas. A proposal pushed by Italy, but inexplicably opposed by Salvini and allies. Because of this attitude, Italians risk paying exorbitant bills for a long time to come, money that paradoxically ends up in Putin's coffers. These are our recipes: the right has none and risks sending the country down the drain ”.
There are those who see a danger to democracy in an eventual Meloni government. And she?
“As I said, given how Berlusconi and Salvini have dealt the coup de grace to the current executive, I'm sure they would make life impossible for Meloni too. They have already commissioned her in foreign policy: she fails to impose the Atlanticist line, they continue to wink at Putin. These dangerous friendships of the right isolate Italy in Europe and in the world. On the economy, the trio bankruptcy has already made proposals that are neither in heaven nor on earth for 160 billion, and risks burning the savings of the Italians. After all, in 2011 Berlusconi and his government, with Meloni as minister, were leading Italy towards default. From there, the resignation, the technical premier, cuts, austerity and more taxes. We must avoid this ».
What is the goal of Civic engagement?
«We are part of the only coalition capable of beating the Salvini-Meloni-Berlusconi trio. The others are lonely lists. We are determined and I am convinced that we will go beyond 6% ».
But what is your role in the progressive coalition?
“We have our own identity, as the wage proposal shows. It is time to say enough to wages from hunger to 2-3 euros per hour and to establish, with the companies, a minimum but fair threshold: workers, young and old, must have an adequate salary for the sacrifices made to reach that degree of competence. We are the only ones to propose this. And then, a vote to us means introducing what we call the Zac mortgage (Zero home advance) for young people, with a zero-rate advance to buy a house ».
How does it work?
«The guarantee fund for the first home must cover 100% of the value of the loan requested, raising the age of the beneficiaries to 40 years. A measure that for us must become structural and associated with a state fund that allows young people to also cover the sum for the advance, with a loan to be repaid at zero interest ”.
You have just presented a tax reform proposal. What does it foresee?
“To resume the work started and go deeper into the tax cut. We will continue with the Irpef reform for employees and self-employed people started in the last budget law, with the passage from 5 to 4 brackets and the drop in the rate. Now we have to go from 4 to 3 brackets and decrease that percentage even more, lowering taxes to Italians in a sustainable way for the State. With inflation, the purchase of some goods is becoming prohibitive: according to Coldiretti this year a family's shopping cart will cost 670 euros more. This is why VAT on food, pharmaceutical and birth-rate goods will have to be immediately canceled ».
You defend the citizenship income: but don't you think that changes are needed?
«The citizenship income not only signed it myself, but I intend to defend it to the end and improve it in the meantime. Thanks to this measure, millions of people in absolute poverty were able to live in dignity even during the lockdown. And it continues to support the disabled, retired, unable to work. Who, as a certain right, wants to remove it, risks doing enormous damage. If anything, it must be improved and strengthened in the aspects that have not given results. The employment centers have not worked: we must create mechanisms to put businesses and workers in direct contact ».
The controversies between Letta, Meloni and other big names are overshadowing all the others, including you. Are you still convinced of the alliance with the Democratic Party?
"Social controversies cannot be a yardstick. Here is a country that needs to be supported and relaunched with concrete proposals. If the progressive coalition, of which Civic Commitment is part with conviction, works as a team, it can overturn certain predictions ».
How is it possible that he had to leave the M5S, after having been the leader?
“I want to say immediately something that is unbelievable: after having brought down the government, in these days Conte's party is blocking the Aid bis decree in Parliament, which contains 17 billion to support the Italians in this phase. It is no longer the Movement, but Conte's party. A boss party, which in June received the endorsements of the Russian embassy on the Ukrainian resolution and which would then have brought down the government, with terrible effects for the Italians. 70 MPs and I left the party to continue to govern and change things ».
Do you think that Grillo and Conte have distorted the M5S?
«There is no one left in that party, from Fico to Di Battista. But Conte only thinks about attacking me, just like Calenda and Salvini. We have more important things to think about, such as strengthening territorial medicine by hiring more nurses and doctors. We all remember how precious they were during the pandemic ».
You are also a candidate on the island: isn't it unfair that Sardinia ends up giving seats to people who don't represent it?
«Those who are candidates make specific commitments with the voters. This is what we are also doing in Sardinia, where we worked a lot during the legislature on the milk price crisis. Among other things, we have introduced traceability. Removed several bureaucratic burdens on agrovoltaic and renewable sources. In the NRP we have provided 1.2 billion for supply chain contracts ».
But Salvini and Meloni intend to renegotiate the PNRR.
«Yes, perhaps by diverting funds from the Center-South to the North. We have to be compact in preventing it. After this government has met all deadlines, we cannot afford the risk of losing face and money ”.
Having inserted the principle of insularity in the Constitution, it must now be implemented. How?
"In the next legislature we will work to allocate the sums useful to compensate for the disadvantages deriving from this condition".
If he were elected in Sardinia, what would be his proposals for the island?
«Here, too, I start from a job that has already been done. I fought hard to create the Pact for Export, which also gave benefits to Sardinia and which at national level in 2021 made exports of Made in Italy record the absolute record, with 516 billion euros. Growth continues in the first half of this year too, with an increase of 22.4% compared to 2021, exceeding 306 billion. So the Made in Italy is driving the relaunch of the country: more exports means more employment in Italy. These are facts, the concrete solutions that Civic Commitment also proposes to Sardinian citizens ».
Giuseppe Meloni
