The Italian government has decided to broaden the scope of economic aid, targeting once again the lowest incomes. With the adoption of new measures, the Christmas bonus, a one-off contribution of 100 euros, will be extended to over two million employees who earn up to 28,000 euros per year. This initiative aims to include single-parent families and other categories previously excluded.
The Minister for Relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani, stressed that the government’s goal has always been to expand beneficiaries and find resources to support those left on the margins.
The Council of Ministers has started a process to speed up the introduction of these measures through amendments to the tax decree under discussion in the Senate. The Christmas bonus is an integral part of this decree, which will soon be published in the Official Journal. To access the bonus, in addition to respecting the income limit, it will be necessary to have a spouse and at least one dependent child. In addition to the new measures, the government also plans to reopen the terms of the biennial preventive agreement, hoping to obtain additional resources to support families. The group of those eligible is also expanded thanks to two amendments that allow companies with changes in their ownership structure to join the tax pact.
Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani reiterated the importance of allocating additional resources to the middle class, proposing a reduction in Irpef from 35% to 33% for incomes up to 50-60 thousand euros. On the front of criticism of the flat tax, the Minister of Economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti, defended the government’s choices, arguing that the interventions were significant for families with children. Fratelli d’Italia has introduced amendments to further increase support for parents and restore funding for Rome’s Metro C. In addition, plans have been put forward to ban ministers and MPs from receiving high salaries from foreign businesses. While the majority is dealing with over 4,000 proposed amendments, the leaders of the opposition - PD, M5S and Azione - will present their changes in separate press conferences in the coming days. In an ever-changing economic context, these initiatives represent a significant step towards greater social equity and a response to the needs of Italian citizens.
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