Confindustria convenes the Assizes before the vote. 'Politics listen to us'

Confindustria convenes the general meetings in Bologna on 14 April. It is the fifth rally call in the history of the industrialists' association. The last time, in Verona in 2018, there were seven thousand entrepreneurs, just over two weeks before the political elections. In Bologna "there will be more of us", says the leader of the industrialists, Emanuele Orsini, who also announces "a territorial tour" which will end in April with the meetings "where - he indicates - just before the elections we will generate a document to give to all the political parties". And he warns: "We represent businesses and industries, not politics. We hope that politics listens to us. We are 83% of the country's welfare."

It will be "a great moment of reflection", both on the troubles of industry in Europe, with a document to be shared with the main European industrial associations: "We don't want to lose basic industry"; both on open issues for businesses in the country, such as the energy cost alarm and energy sovereignty "which means national security". In 1992 it was President Luigi Abete who convened the general meetings for the first time, in Parma, where Giovanni Agnelli gave an endorsement to the Government in the presence of Prime Minister Giuliano Amato: "For the first time someone has tried to straighten things out". In 1995, Luigi Abete again wanted a broad moment of mobilization in Rimini. In 2011, Emma Marcegaglia called "a large gathering of entrepreneurs", and wanted it "without politicians and behind closed doors": a large internal debate, almost six thousand industrialists arrived in Bergamo. In 2011 the leader of the industrialists was Vincenzo Boccia, in Verona, just sixteen days before the vote.

The announcement of the new general meetings, also in this case in view of the vote, comes while the Confindustria Small Industry Forum is underway in Rome, where 1,200 entrepreneurs have arrived from all over Italy: the president Fausto Bianchi has asked politicians for "a pact" to support the growth of SMEs. It is "indispensable", it is needed "to make this country grow", Orsini also says. Meanwhile, in the construction site of the maneuver, the confrontation between industrialists and the Government is open. The last issue is on the superbonus credits to be paid over 10 years: it is also a "problem of legal certainty", of "trust between companies and institutions", warns the president of Confindustria: the cards on the table cannot be changed, "we risk bringing companies that have believed in the State to their knees". The energy cost alarm remains a priority for industrialists, who are also asking for "an industrial plan for the country" that has a vision at least to 2029 with stability of tools and rules, as they hope for hyper-depreciation "which is working". Just as the SEZ worked, to be extended to the whole country. The cost of materials is also a concern, "we risk blocking construction sites". And with the Pnrr no longer needed, it is necessary to maintain a push for investments: Orsini calls for a 'relaunch Italy' plan, reiterating the request for incentives to unlock even just a small part of the billions of private savings held in current accounts and pension funds.