Manoeuvre, decisive week for changes. Majority seeks reconciliation on short-term rentals and dividends

With just over a month to go until 31 December, the deadline by which the 18.7 billion Euro budget law must be approved by both chambers of parliament, the time has come to tighten up on the changes to the text approved in mid-October. There is therefore expectation for the new majority summit on the manoeuvre, the third, which could be either Wednesday 26th or Thursday 27th December, when Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni returns from the G20 in South Africa. The week that opens could therefore be decisive in terms of changes to the text being examined by the Senate.

The meeting will serve to finalise the final touches to the Budget Law and find a final agreement on the amendments 'flag' of the government parties. All this while keeping a straight line on the accounts: the balances must remain unchanged. Among the knots to be unravelled at the next summit in Palazzo Chigi remain, in particular, those on short-time rentals and banks. The outcome of the regional elections, after the votes in Campania, Apulia and Veneto, could outline new political balances within the majority, with effects also on the game being played on the proposed changes to the manoeuvre. On Tuesday, the Senate Budget Committee will rule on the admissibility of the amendments reported by the groups, 414, but the political balance within the majority on the hot topics is expected.

Among the issues at the centre of the discussion were the extension of the hyper-amortisation, the tax regime on dividends, the extension of the Isee exemption on the first home, measures to encourage the emersion of gold from investments, and new recruitments among the police and military.

Onshort-term rentals "I think we will arrive at a solution that will leave the situation as it is," said deputy prime minister Antonio Tajani. "Maybe the number of properties after which taxation will be raised can be reduced. Today there are five and they could go up to three, but it is important that the tax does not increase,' the Fi leader explained. The League is also asking to cancel the increase to 26 per cent, foreseen in the manoeuvre, and maintain the current rate at 21 per cent for the first property.

On the banks' contribution, however, the two parties split. "The issue of banks is closed for us and we will not open it again, the balance point found satisfies us and the entire government majority," said Alessandro Cattaneo, head of Forza Italia's departments, stressing that "taxes are removed, not put in. On the other hand, with an amendment, the League is asking for a further 0.5 per cent increase in the IRAP tax for banks, bringing it to 2.5 points, making small and medium-sized banks with assets of up to 30 billion euro pay only a 500-thousand euro exemption. On the tax front, the CGIL insists: "Without neutralising the fiscal drag, indexing the Irpef to inflation, the government is not helping the so-called middle class, but rather favouring and causing its impoverishment".