A U-turn on the crackdown on underpaid workers: the measure, along with four others, will be removed from the major amendment to the budget. The decision comes at the end of a long day in the Senate and after extensive discussions within the government, both with the majority and the opposition. During the meeting of the Senate Budget Committee, with Minister for Relations with Parliament Luca Ciriani and the political groups, it was also decided to remove the provision on revolving doors in public administration : the measure would have reduced the time limit for holding a management role in the private sector from three to one year after a senior role in the public administration in the same sector.
And nothing has been done about the provision that, conversely, would allow for exemptions from the ban on holding public administration positions for temporary or extraordinary commissioner positions after having held positions in private law entities or entities funded by the administration itself . The issue of the spoils system for the Authorities remains, a provision that—according to parliamentary sources—is not viewed favorably even by the President of the Republic. The provision that stipulates that an appeal to a judge is no longer sufficient to obtain recognition of arrears has also been dropped, and is now the target of the opposition.
"Unconstitutional, shameful, a cowardly act," declared opposition leaders. Yet another "attack" on workers' rights, according to the CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour). A measure that certainly sparks discussion, but doesn't change the view of Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti: he readily acknowledges the "tortuous path" of the budget law, but "the important thing is to get to the top, there is no other way," he said, speaking at Palazzo Madama. Hence his satisfaction, not only with the 2026 budget but with all the work done, which he vindicated and defended in the Senate chamber before senators: "Our prudence is not at all stagnant, and future governments will benefit from our prudence, including," he concluded, addressing the opposition, "yours."
Perhaps all this won't go down in history, he deflects, but "thanks to this type of policy, Italy presents itself with its head held high in Europe and the world." The measures for workers, the tax on parcels, the push for supplementary pensions: the Treasury Minister explains the reasons behind the choices made, which are often—in his view—driven by foresight. And while it's true that the balance in Parliament and between Parliament and the government has changed, it's also true that other major European countries show they're incapable of approving their respective budgets. Italy, however, is doing so. Or, rather, it's about to do so. The minister certainly acknowledges some critical issues, such as those affecting the institutional architecture : "We've been witnessing a unicameral system for several years: this should make us all question how parliamentary democracies should update themselves to keep pace with the times," he observes.
The comments come after heated discussions and marked divergences not only among the opposing parties to the government but also within the majority. During the turbulent days at Palazzo Madama—where the budget is nearing approval—there has been a back-and-forth of measures and numerous rewrites, starting with pensions. Of course, there have also been shared battles among the allied parties in power, such as those aimed at strengthening the scope of measures on housing and education. And among the most unexpected developments in the final sprint, the majority, for example, reached an agreement and the resources to increase the cadastral value of a primary residence for ISEE purposes to €200,000. With the opposition, as is largely normal, there has been no sign of an agreement. The Democratic Party criticized the Treasury's slowness right up until the very end, first in committee and then in the Chamber: less than 24 hours before the final vote, including a vote of confidence in the Senate, Democratic Party group leader Francesco Boccia emphasized, there's no sign of the mega-amendment. And then there's the merit. Also sparking controversy in the final hours was the "blitz that reintroduces wild hunts."
The opposition, however, is focusing particular attention on the crackdown on workers, which had already been "thwarted" a few months ago thanks to a "summer battle." For Giuseppe Conte, therefore, it is clear that this time, to push it through, the government simultaneously "exploited the cover of darkness" and internal squabbles within the majority. Thus, once again, "the judiciary, which enforces compliance with Article 36 of the Constitution, namely that workers' wages must be fair and dignified, is under attack. It's a real coup," Schlein said. Currently, the union explains, if a worker wins a court appeal, they are entitled to the recognition of all wage credits accrued before the appeal was filed, and the company is obligated to pay the difference. The change sought by the government will not be included in the budget. It will be made official this morning with the Budget Committee's vote in favor of the deletion. Then the text, in its entirety, will finally be passed to the Chamber for examination.
(Unioneonline)