Italy’s former PM and head of the 5-Star Movement (M5S), Giuseppe Conte, criticised Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for financial policies and ties with China.
Meloni was accused of “splitting the country” after parliament approved a controversial bill giving regions more powers and increasing poverty in the south.
The change, approved by the lower house on Wednesday after a heated debate, is part of a government reform of the Italian state, including a bill approved by the upper house on Tuesday, allowing direct election of the prime minister.
The so-called “differentiated autonomy” bill gives the regions more power over the collection and spending of tax revenues, as well as over public services such as health and education.
The approval, which passed with 172 votes in favour and 99 against, was hailed by Matteo Salvini, leader of Lega, a member of the ruling coalition, as a “victory for all Italians.” However, Conte does not share his view. He stated on X:
Over 200 thousand signatures collected in just 72 hours for the referendum against differentiated autonomy, a boom in participation that testifies to the determination and opposition of citizens to a law that undermines social cohesion and the unity of the country. An important signal, a clear warning to the Government which says in no uncertain terms: Italy will not split, we will not stand by and watch helplessly.
Conte accused the Meloni government of failing to properly assess the country’s financial situation. According to the latest Consob bulletin, Italian banks listed on the stock exchange recorded a 67% increase in profits in 2023, rising from 15.7 billion to 26.2 billion euros, he said.
“It is a fact that, faced with this incredible avalanche of profits, which enriches bank shareholders while families and businesses are in difficulty in paying mortgage instalments, the Meloni Government whistles indifferently.”
The M5S chief also said there should be tax intervention on the extra profits of banks.
We are on the eve of a blood-and-tears budget law after Meloni signed a Stability Pact that will cost Italy 13 billion in cuts a year. We need a real, courageous law, not the farce staged months ago by Meloni who had launched a voluntary contribution, which was in fact eluded by all the credit institutions.
Ties with China
Besides criticism of budgetary decisions, Meloni is also facing condemnation for her initiative to re-establish ties with China, which is increasingly penetrating EU markets. The politician noted that the Prime Minister had not previously supported the Memorandum of Understanding with China, approved by the Conte I Government.
However, now she is “knocking on President Xi Jinping, imploring Beijing to invest in Italy, to relaunch a strategic and egalitarian partnership and rebalance the trade balance between our two countries.”
“Coincidentally, all these objectives were promptly contemplated in the 2019 Memorandum. The difference is that we were attacked and reviled for that Agreement, which for the first time introduced concepts such as ‘level conditions,’ ‘environmental and financial sustainability’ which none of the many countries (including European ones) that had signed the agreement before we had managed to obtain.”
He also accused Meloni of abruptly compromising on trade relations with China at the end of 2023, “trashing the impressive work carried out by my first government.”
Are we sure that, with all these twists and turns, Giorgia Meloni will be able to effectively protect our national interests?
