Mattarella: territorial balance crucial for society. It will be up to the Pe to define its own identity

'Territorial balance,' stressed President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella at the Confcommercio assembly in Rome, 'is a crucial factor of social balance. It is also for this reason that the loss of more than 110,000 businesses in the last ten years is not a matter that concerns only the world of commerce, but its effects challenge, because they reverberate on it, the whole of society'. The Head of State recalled that 'today there is a gap that penalises inland and island areas, mountain territories. This gap,' he added, 'holds back national development as a whole'. Meanwhile, the debate on the differentiated autonomy bill resumed in the Chamber of Deputies, with the vote on amendments.

One passage in the Head of State's speech was on the European elections. The European Union, he emphasised, 'as well as being rightly described as a "tireless peacemaker", is essential not to fall into irrelevance. It will now be up to the European Parliament, which has just been designated by the sovereignty of the European peoples, to define its own identity and to compete, with the governments, in the choices before which we are, without delay'.

"Our Constitution," recalled the Head of State, "recognises the value of private economic initiative. Constraints, dominant positions, dirigisme always end up invading the field of other freedoms, thus weakening democracy itself. Memorable remains the parliamentary battle, led by Luigi Einaudi at the Constituent Assembly, to insert rules that would prevent state favouritism towards private individuals and categories: to protect competition, hence the freedom of enterprise and choice for all'.