New front of conflict between the government and the magistrates. It was opened by the decision of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni not to sign the decree to unblock the salary increases of the robes, foreseen on the basis of some sentences of the Council of State. A move that unleashes the immediate anger of the ANM, which is also ready with a possible appeal to assert its rights. At the basis of the new tug-of-war is the allocation contained in the budget planning document, launched a few days ago by the government: among the measures that will make up the next maneuver there is in fact a "Sentence Fund" which corresponds to a one-off expenditure, for 2027 alone, of 1.92 billion (0.08% of GDP). Most of these resources, as revealed in recent days by the Sole 24 Ore, should be allocated precisely to adjustments for magistrates: the maneuver will therefore provide the funds, while the decrees that adjust salaries for the years from 2018 to 2023 would already be ready.
However, the prime minister has no intention of signing them, sources at Palazzo Chigi confirm. Although she nevertheless makes it known that she is ready to listen to the representatives of the ANM, in the belief that "most magistrates understand the situation and the priorities of the moment". Meloni considers the figure of the increases, which would amount in total to around one billion, ten times higher than what the government is looking for to provide answers to the problems of hauliers, who risk blocking the delivery of goods throughout Italy. A reference that would make one think of the possibility of new interventions in this sense. The government, as revealed in recent days by Meloni herself, still has the 160 million from the September extra revenue which it has not yet decided how to use.
Meloni's position infuriates the ANM. "The government decides, but if there are margins we will appeal", warns the deputy secretary Stefano Celli, announcing that "the tools that the law recognizes to us will be used to assert our rights, which are the same rights as other citizens: therefore we will evaluate the appeal if necessary".
The adjustments, in any case, will have to be made and the Prime Minister could leave it to the Council of State to implement them with the appointment of a commissioner, thus avoiding political responsibility falling on her. Meanwhile, the government continues the process of drafting the budget law. After the finalization of the financial framework, which quantified measures for a total of 23.5 billion, and awaiting the outcome of the negotiation with the EU on energy flexibility, the next step is political: the majority summit scheduled for tomorrow with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy Giancarlo Giorgetti. Around the table were the deputy prime ministers Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini and the leader of Noi Moderati Maurizio Lupi.
Everyone already has their own list of proposals ready, but also the awareness that the narrow margins of the coverage will not guarantee space to satisfy all those desired. Then there are some divisive issues that risk setting off new sparks. Starting from the contribution of the banks, which has already seen Salvini's pressure and Tajani's caution clash on several occasions. Also to be resolved is the issue of the extension of the Irpef cut up to 60 thousand euros: a measure supported by the prime minister and pushed by Forza Italia, but which in recent weeks has been put on standby in favor of interventions for a wider audience, such as the seniors' bonus. Giorgetti has already said that the choice is between "selective" or "generalized" measures. The comparison does not promise to be easy.
