Meloni-Schlein clash on health care. The premier: 'You are making propaganda'. The Pd leader: 'Fake decree on waiting lists'.

Sparks broke out in the Chamber of Deputies during premier time between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and opposition leaders Giuseppe Conte (M5s) and Elly Schlein on arms and healthcare. The first real verbal clash was with the president of the Movement who, first, addressed the premier as follows: "She has given priority to weapons over the urgencies of citizens and businesses that she continues to disregard: why has she let herself be fooled like this in Europe twice?" "I do not remember her taking the same line when as premier she signed up to the increase in military spending. She is not the same person,' Meloni poked Meloni. 'It must have been one of the many Giuseppi we have seen over the years. At the end Conte called on all parliamentarians to stand up to 'condemn in silence the extermination' in Gaza. An invitation to which the parliamentary minority responded. "Remain seated, shame on you!" the Pentastellist said at that point, attacking the Prime Minister for the last time.

Schlein's new round immediately followed: 'Public health is collapsing, waiting lists are endless', 'health migration from south to north has increased', 'you have brought health spending to an all-time low', said the PDD secretary, waving graphs at Meloni. 'Health spending is calculated on GDP, you have made a decree without resources on waiting lists', 'the question is why are you dismantling public health'. The premier responded by pointing out that it is 'always complex to deal with someone who is forced to lie in order to make propaganda. The national health fund is at the highest level ever, when we took office in 2022 that fund was 126 billion, 10 billion less than now. And the Pd when it was in government never dreamed of making increases like the one we have made in these two years." 'I understand that, for example, it was we who stopped the odious phenomenon of token doctors, which is indeed a privatisation of healthcare,' he countered. Schlein's retort was harsh: 'When you were in government you put a cap on hospital recruitment. People can't get healthcare, shame on you!" 'You want health care to fit people's wallets' and this is a 'real tax Meloni, treating oneself has become a luxury'.

Foto IPP/Marco Mattei Roma 14/05/2025 Camera dei deputati Question time con la Presidente del Consiglio nella foto Elly Schlein Italy Photo Press - World Copyright Camera dei deputati Question time con la Presidente del Consiglio

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza was instead the focus of Avs's question. 'In recent months I have heard Prime Minister Netanyahu on several occasions, they have often been difficult conversations in which I have always recalled the urgency of finding a way to end the hostilities and respect international law and international humanitarian law. A request that I renew today as well, in the face of a humanitarian situation in Gaza that I have no difficulty in describing as increasingly dramatic and unjustifiable,' Meloni said in response to Avs MP Angelo Bonelli. The Prime Minister added: "We did not agree with several choices and we do not share the Israeli government's recent proposals and we have not failed to say so to our interlocutors, aware as we are that it was not Israel that started the hostilities and that there was a design behind Hamas's inhuman attacks and the cruelty directed at the hostages".

But the Prime Minister also explained that she is convinced that "on the basis of the many conversations I have had in recent months with the leaders of the Region, we can work towards a regional political and security framework capable of putting an end to the conflict, paving the way for a process leading to a two-state solution, and I remain convinced that in order to do this we must start from the reconstruction plan proposed by the Arab paresis. It is towards this goal that the government remains committed, working with the leaders of the region, with our European partners, with the United States. We will do this by maintaining an open, frank, if necessary critical dialogue with everyone. And this is exactly why it is not the intention of the Italian government to recall the Italian ambassador to Israel'.

I appeal to all colleagues: let us give a sign of humanity. Let us condemn this extermination in silence, let us stand up". This was said by M5s leader Giuseppe Conte in the Chamber of Deputies during premier time, calling for a gesture by parliamentarians for Gaza. Oppositions stood up. "Remain seated, shame on you!" he said addressing Meloni.