As expected, the Italian deputies granted Monday, 9 September, by 343 votes against 263, their confidence in the government formed by the Democratic Party and the Movement 5 stars (M5S) and led by Giuseppe Conte. The Senate, where its majority is smaller, will vote Tuesday.
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The President of the Council delivered a very European policy speech - he pronounced the word "Europe" 32 times. Giuseppe Conte called for the appeasement of relations with the European Union while demanding a boost from Brussels on budget rules and immigration.
Giuseppe Conte also promised not to fall back on the previous coalition. He asked politicians and citizens more moderation in tone and "more sobriety especially on social networks" while demanding his ministers "cohesion and loyalty." "We want to leave behind us the clash of useless and bellicose declarations," promised the head of government, who was also at the head of the previous one, during a stormy session. "The speech of this government will be moderate," he said, referring to the often shattering words of Matteo Salvini, the leader of the League (far right).
Demonstration of the far right
"Elections! Elections!", Members of the League chanted several times during his speech, which lasted an hour and a half. Outside the Parliament, right-wing activists also called for early legislative elections. "They can postpone the vote for a few months but they can not flee forever and when the Italians have the right to vote, we will win," promised Matteo Salvini, addressing the protesters, some of whom welcomed him with outstretched arms .
Giuseppe Conte presented an ambitious program focused on economic recovery, which includes the abandonment of the VAT increase scheduled for January 1, and promised firmness against tax evasion.
In this context, he considered that the European Union's "Stability Pact" must be improved, which imposes a deficit below 3% of GDP and a debt of under 60%. Italy is pretty much in the spotlight for the annual deficit but is bending under a debt of over 132% of GDP. Overly rigid fiscal rules "risk negating the significant efforts made to boost the country's potential growth," argued Conte.
Giuseppe Conte in Brussels Wednesday
From Europe, he also expects "more solidarity" on immigration with "concrete initiatives" on a file that Italy now intends to "manage structurally and more urgently".
Released from his partnership with Europhobic League, Giuseppe Conte will visit Brussels on Wednesday for his first trip as head of the 67th Italian government after the war. "I remain firmly convinced (...) that it is within the framework of the European Union and not outside that we must work for the good of the Italians," he concluded.
With Reuters and AFP