5-Star party want Italy spending boost
The largest party in Italy’s governing coalition kept up pressure on Economy Minister Giovanni Tria
The 5-Star Movement, which shares power with the far-right League, wants at least 10 billion euros ($11.6 billion) in spending to cover a universal income for the poor.
That is in line with the party’s flagship promise made during campaigning for March national election.
But Tria, who is not a member of either party, is pushing both to scale down their campaign demands - including ambitions spending plans that have unnerved investors - to keep Italy’s debt pile, worth more than 130 percent of output, in check.
Barbara Lezzi, a 5-Star minister, on Thursday warned Tria against ditching the universal income proposal.
“If the universal income is not included in the budget then the whole government will be in trouble, not just Tria,” she said in a radio interview.
Newspapers said Tria had threatened to resign if 5-Star did not back off, reports that an economy ministry source said were baseless.
Published: by Radio NewsHub