Referendum, Cdm: voting on 22 and 23 March. Government commissioners 4 regions on school sizing

The referendum on career separation will be held on 22-23 March. This was decided at the meeting of the Council of Ministers, which took place on Monday 12 January. The by-elections for the constituencies left vacant in Veneto by Stefani and Bitonci will also be held on the same day. Yes also to the draft law 'on the recognition and protection of the family caregiver', presented by the Minister for Disabilities Alessandra Locatelli.

The Council of Ministers also approved the bill 'on the recognition and protection of the family caregiver' presented by the Minister for Disabilities, Alessandra Locatelli. "For the first time," Locatelli said at the press conference at the end of the meeting, "there are certain resources, amounting to 257 million euro that we have included in the budget law, and we can follow up on the bill for the recognition of the family caregiver. There are two cornerstones of the proposal: "Differentiated protections, so that we can recognise all family caregivers, those who have a very important commitment in terms of caring burden and those who have a lesser commitment, and the priority to those who love, care, do not want to be replaced, and do so for 24 hours a day, at night, during the day, in a continuous marathon". In order to offer answers in economic terms, 'we have identified a load of hours above 91 hours per week, which is about 13 hours per day'. An Isee of 15,000 euro is also envisaged. 'It is low,' Locatelli stressed, 'we hope to do better in Parliament, but the important thing was to put in the first piece after 31 failed bills in ten years. The first resources will be used to create a platform with the Inps.

On the school front, the Council of Ministers has approved the commissioning of the Regions Toscana, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria and Sardinia, which have not yet approved their respective sizing plans for the next school year. The dimensioning is part of the reforms envisaged by the NRP, defined by the previous government, with the aim of adjusting the school network to the student population on a regional basis. Failure to do so puts at risk the resources already allocated to Italy. The measure only concerns administrative reorganisation and does not involve the closure of school sites.

National health service reform at the starting line. Among the measures that have been given the green light by the Council of Ministers is the 'Draft bill delegating the Government to adopt measures on the reorganisation and strengthening of territorial and hospital care and revision of the organisational model of the National Health Service'. Implementation decrees are to be adopted by 31 December 2026. The draft bill, in particular, updates the classification of hospital facilities, introduces third-level hospitals, 'corresponding to facilities of excellence with a national or supranational catchment area' that can help reduce healthcare mobility. Elective hospitals will then be identified, 'acute hospital facilities without an emergency room' where non-urgent acute patients can be transferred from other higher-level hospitals. Among the objectives of the measure is the improvement of the appropriateness of hospital supply with the definition of minimum standards for hospitalisation activities, consistent with the discipline of the community hospital. As far as territorial assistance is concerned, the aim is to 'guarantee an adequate level' of care 'for the non-self-sufficient', by defining staffing standards, guaranteeing continuity of care, and promoting home care, including access to medicines. The text also aims to enhance clinical bioethics, as a tool for the humanisation of care, strengthen the integration between health and social welfare interventions, reorganise mental health services, and strengthen health information systems. For general practitioners and free-choice paediatricians, a reorganisation of the sector is also envisaged to strengthen their contribution in territorial care.

The Council of Ministers, reads the communiqué released by Palazzo Chigi at the end of the executive's meeting, has resolved, at the proposal of President Giorgia Meloni, the confirmation of Senator Guido Castelli as Extraordinary Commissioner of the Government for the repair, reconstruction, assistance to the population and economic recovery of the territories of the regions of Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche and Umbria affected by the seismic events that occurred as of 24 August 2016. On a proposal by Meloni, the extension to Fabrizio Curcio, until 31 May 2026, of the post of extraordinary commissioner for reconstruction in the territories of the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Marche affected by the flooding events that occurred from 1 May 2023. On the proposal of the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, the appointment of Prefect Giuseppe Castaldo as Commissioner for the coordination of solidarity initiatives for the victims of mafia-type crimes. On the proposal of the Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti, having regard to the favourable opinion expressed by the Unified Conference, the renewal of the appointment of Alessandra dal Verme as Director of the State Property Agency. The appointment is conferred with effect from 13 January 2026 until 31 January 2027, or until the day before the termination of service due to the accrual of pension requirements.