There is a dispute in the ruling coalition in Rome over a possible extension of the emergency to combat the pandemic.

The coalition government of the left-wing populist five-star movement and Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the time, declared a state of emergency on January 31, 2020.

The validity of the relevant decree has been extended four times, most recently until July 31, 2021.

Matthias Rüb

Political correspondent for Italy, the Vatican, Albania and Malta based in Rome.

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    As the Italian media unanimously reported on Thursday, the Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who has been in office since February, is aiming for a further extension of the emergency until the end of the year.

    This would allow the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to continue to issue far-reaching decrees without consulting Parliament.

    Speranza corrected his posture

    Even Health Minister Roberto Speranza from the left-wing splinter party “Free and Equals”, who had always spoken out in favor of the toughest restrictions since the beginning of the pandemic, described a possible end to the emergency in around one and a half months as a “positive signal” for the country on Tuesday.

    In the Prime Minister's office, the Minister of Health's change of direction was taken with surprise and preparations are being made for a controversial debate in the upcoming cabinet meeting. Speranza corrected his stance on Wednesday and conceded that one had to “check whether the conditions exist” for an end to the emergency, after all, the pandemic situation could worsen again by the end of July.

    The chairman of the right-wing national Lega, the former interior minister Matteo Salvini, spoke out unequivocally for an end to the emergency. The Lega has been part of the broad coalition under Prime Minister Draghi since February 2021. He has not yet been able to speak to Draghi about the issue, said Salvini, but he is convinced that “the conditions for an extension of the state of emergency are not in place”. Salvini also described the possible end of the emergency at the end of July as “good news that the worst is over”. 95 percent of people over 80 years of age are protected by vaccination, the number of infections has declined, said Salvini.

    In the event of a fight vote in the cabinet, the left coalition parties are likely to side with Draghi.

    Draghi himself warned: “We still have to be careful.

    It is true that the end of the pandemic is in sight, but we have not left it behind us yet. "

    Even the minister responsible for regional affairs Mariastella Gelmini of the conservative-liberal Forza Italia, who had spoken out in favor of an end to the emergency at the beginning of the week, apparently submitted to cabinet discipline and assured on Wednesday that the government would “extend the emergency after consultations with the scientific-technical advisory board and in accordance with science ”.

    The Delta variant should not be underestimated, warned Gelmini.

    Giorgia Meloni from the post-fascist party "Brothers of Italy", on the other hand, does not want to know anything about a renewed extension of the emergency under any circumstances.

    The "Brothers of Italy" are currently the only opposition party of any size.

    Meloni spoke of a "crazy idea" that the emergency should be extended one more time a year and a half after the outbreak of the pandemic.

    "2021 must be the year of the return to normal," said Meloni: "We can control the pandemic with the usual instruments of exercise of power, in accordance with the constitution and without curtailing the rights of parliament."

    Will it be mandatory to wear masks outdoors soon?

    Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's office said the government was considering lifting the obligation to wear masks outdoors by July 15, following the example of France and other EU countries.

    The decree on the Italian “Green Pass” is also expected this week.

    The digital certificate for vaccinated, convalescent and tested persons should be issued by pharmacies, general practitioners and polyclinics.

    The presentation of the “Green Pass” is required for concerts, for cultural and sporting events, at trade fairs and congresses as well as for visits to old people's homes.

    In restaurants and in the hospitality industry, operators do not have to request a “Green Pass”.