Giorgetti: full inflation recovery for low and medium pensions

'This government has guaranteed the full recovery, for medium-low pensions, of the inflation recorded and not only'. Thus the Minister of the Economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti, in the government's reply to the debate on the manoeuvre before the final vote by the Senate chamber on the budget law. And under the heading of pensions, the minister rejected what he called trivialisations made about the manoeuvre's choices and emphasised the decisive recognition of complementary pensions, 'which we consider crucial for guaranteeing decent pensions in the future compared to those that might result from the Fornero law's contribution-based calculation. I therefore proudly claim this passage in which payments for complementary pensions can be counted together with compulsory payments for the calculation of minimum pension requirements'.

But not only that. The Minister of the Economy also mentioned the possibility of staying at work longer. "Perhaps it has escaped some people's notice that it is on a voluntary basis the possibility of staying in work at 70. If someone wants to continue working in this country, they have the right to continue working and perhaps receive tax-free contributions in their pay envelope, as we have promised and proposed in this budget law'.

On healthcare spending, the Minister of the Economy also wanted to point out the government's commitment. "With regard to healthcare spending, there have been different points of view: those who have said that it has been cut and those who have argued that it has increased. I think the cold numbers testify to the reality of the facts. I have taken the inflation-adjusted health spending per capita, that is, I have stripped it of the inflation that has occurred over the years, and from 2019 to date the figures are these: 1,919 euros per capita in 2019, 1,989 in 2020, 1,980 in 2021, 1,985 in 2022, 2,029 in 2023, 2,061 in 2024, 2,074 in 2025 and 2,124 in 2026, current euros of 2019. This means that, also in real terms and not only in nominal terms, per capita expenditure has increased, totalling 10.6 per cent at the end of 2026.

"As far as spending on education is concerned, I accept all kinds of criticism, but I do not share the reference," stressed the incumbent of Via XX Settembre in the Chamber of Palazzo Madama, "that we cut and take away resources with regard to support for deserving pupils. I simply point out that in five years the Italian school has lost 500,000 students, but spending has nevertheless remained constant. I point out that, as far as support teachers are concerned, there were 95,000 in 2012 and there are 234,000 in 2024. So, it seems to me that assistance, as far as pupils in need are concerned, has not been lacking in any way'.

Industrial policy chapter. For the Minister of the Economy, 'industrial policy needs entrepreneurs who believe in it, who invest despite the totally uncertain situation. It is for this reason that the government has decided to push in the direction of premium IRES, as it is known, that is, rewarding those entrepreneurs who, instead of distributing dividends perhaps to some international fund, decide to reinvest in the company and bet on the future'.