Redditometer of discord: leaders' statements compared

'The redditometer is one of the horrors of the past, going after and ascertaining alleged incomes because the state is playing big brother... no. Certainly strengthening the tools for combating great evasion, that absolutely yes. But let's work on real incomes, not on presumptions. Blaming welfare does not mean helping Italy'.

Antonio Tajani, deputy prime minister and leader of Forza Italia

"The redditometer is an obsolete tool that only generates litigation, it does not solve the problems of the fight against tax evasion, it runs counter to the philosophy of the tax reform we are carrying out, i.e. a friendly and non-oppressive tax system, so I will ask the Council of Ministers on Friday to revoke this measure"

Maurizio Leo, Deputy Minister for the Economy, 21 May 2024.

"There is no return to the old redditometer, only more guarantees for taxpayers. In addition, the centre-right confirms its commitment to fight big tax evaders, in a context of total respect for taxpayers' rights'.

Leader of the M5s, 22 May 2024.

"Today Giorgia Meloni wakes up, lashes out against the redditometer, discovers that her Fratelli d'Italia deputy minister, Leo, introduced it overnight. It was the same Meloni who lashed out against Big Brother tax, who in the past even lashed out against the tax 'police state'. Now they are reintroducing this obsolete tool. They are amateurs in the dark'.

President of Italia Viva, 22 May 2024 .

"I am shocked by Giorgia Meloni's lies about the #Reditometer. Yesterday the government lied in an official note saying that the redditometer was wanted by the Renzi government in 2015. False. The redditometer was already there in 2010 when Meloni was minister: because the redditometer is a measure of the Berlusconi government. We in 2015 removed the illiberal tool of Istat averages. Which yesterday the government announced it would introduce again. They raise taxes, they enter people's lives, they lie in official documents. And yet they blame others. But they are not bad: they are just incompetent'.

Francesco Boccia, President of the PD Senators, 22 May 2024

"First they raise the cash threshold, encouraging avoidance and evasion, and then they pursue them with one of the most invasive control instruments that places the burden of proving the contrary on the taxpayer. We are facing yet another failure of the government with regard to tax policies, certified also by the controversy that has been unleashed in the majority with the League and Fi opposed to the redditometer'.

Alberto Gusmeroli, Lega, chairman of the House Production Activities Committee .

"We believe that the best way to bring the underground economy to light is to simplify the tax system, which is among the most complicated in the world - the biggest tax that all Italians pay is precisely tax complication - and gradually reduce the tax burden, in addition to controls, of course, but we do not believe in inductive assessment tools such as the redditometer.

Ernesto Maria Ruffini, Director of the Revenue Agency

"The redditometer has always been a residual tool, used only when the tax administration has no basis for reconstructing a taxpayer's income, as in the case of total evaders who have not filed a declaration, have no income, but show significant spending power.

Government sources, 22 May 2024

With the 'stand by' of the ministerial decree signed by Maurizio Leo technically 'the application activity' of the measure 'concerning the synthetic determination of income is deferred, pending a subsequent regulatory measure revising the institution'.