(By Denis Greenan).
The Democratic Party's (PD)
100-point manifesto, recently presented by leader and ex-premier
Matteo Renzi, is a wide-ranging, family-friendly programme of
tax breaks and cuts aimed at wooing the middle classes and
lower-income voters while pleasing the business community.
Renzi has proposed a big tax break for couples with children
and said the PD aims to boost GDP by more than 2% and create one
million new jobs.
Renzi says the manifesto proposes a "universal" 240-euro
IRPEF personal income tax break for dependent children up to the
age of 18 and 80 euros up to the age of 26.
The measure will cost some nine billion euros, according to
costing by PD experts.
"It will be valid for all, from zero to 100,000 euros a
year", Renzi says.
He says this contrasts with the anti-establishment 5-Star
Movement's (M5S) 'universal wage' or basic income, which Renzi
says encourages workers to leave their jobs and also gives firms
an excuse to fire people.
The programme also proposes a three-year instrument of 400
euros a month for each child up to three years of age for
nursery schools and baby sitters.
That will cost 1.1 billion, the programme says.
In other measures, the PD programme envisages severance pay
for temporary jobs that do not become steady ones.
Labour costs will be cut via a structural reduction of 4
percentage points in contributions, from 33% to 29%.
"Steady work is worth more, and it must cost less," the
programme says.
The programme also envisages a six-month card for free rail
travel for those who lose their jobs.
In other points, the programme proposes a "fiscal points
license" where those who pay their taxes correctly get
"advantages, fiscal and others".
The PD is aiming to get "up to 30 billion euros" from the
fight against tax evasion, the manifesto says, and aims to
introduce a "fiscal model valorising the contrast in interests
in a logic based on the message 'claim everything, everybody
claims".
The programme also envisages the extension of an
80-euro-a-month tax break to those declaring VAT and a fresh
drop in the IRES and IRI business taxes, to 22%.
In other moves, the manifesto proposes a minimum wage, to be
agreed on with the social partners, and keeping museums open
till midnight.
As well as aiming to boost youth employment, the programme
also gives an incentive of 150 euros for those who decide to
leave the nest early.
It aims to continue structural reforms, including the
reduction of the license fee for State broadcaster RAI, which
will be scrapped for the lowest earners.
Here are bullet points of the manifesto:
- CUT TO COSTS OF TURNING TEMP TO STEADY JOBS:
The PD aims to continue incentivising moves from temp to
steady contracts, not only by cutting contributions from 33% to
29% but also by making temp contracts more expensive via a
'payout' to those who are not given long-term contracts. The PD
is aiming to create a million jobs by the end of the legislative
term.
- MINIMUM WAGE:
To combat underpaid jobs, a minimum wage will be agreed with
unions and business, subject to sanctions if not applied. Gender
parity in pay is also a priority.
- FAMILY PACKAGE, FROM KIDS' DISCOUNTS TO WORKING MUMS:
The package is worth about 10 billon euros and ranges from a
new 400-euro card for nurseries and baby sitters to tax breaks
of 240 euros a month, which become 80 euros between the ages of
18 and 26. Also an incentive for mothers to get back to work and
the obligation to grant 'smart working' during the re-entry
phase.
- POINTS TAX LICENSE, REWARDS FOR 'LOYAL' TAXPAYERS:
To boost tax loyalty the PD proposes a "points license" giving
advantages to those who pay regularly. Crackdown on tax evasion
too, with proceeds of 30 million euros seen.
- FREE TRAVEL FOR NEETS AND THOSE WHO LOSE THEIR JOBS:
A free six-month travel card for those who lose their jobs in
their first six months of unemployment, or those not in
employment, education, or training, valid in a 50km radius from
homes.
- LED LIGHTING, DIGITAL REFORM, SPENDING REVIEW:
The PD aims to recover one percentage point of GDP through a
spending review, the computerisation of the civil service and
LED lighting in all public offices.
- MORE CYCLE PATHS, 'GREEN' CARS:
Cars used by the civil service and public sector in general
will be mostly electric. Among the 100 points, also an increase
in cycle paths and the construction of four national cycle ways.
- MUSEUMS UP TILL MIDNIGHT, CULTURE PLAN 4.0:
The existing art bonus will be boosted, and museums will stay
open till midnight, while cultural firms will get incentives in
the 'Culture Plan 4.0'.
MORE POLICE, 50,000 MORE CCTV CAMERAS:
Some 10,000 extra police will be hired to increase the
"presence in the local areas and the perception of security".
Some 50,000 new surveillance cameras will be installed across
Italy.
The PD is allied with smaller centre-left groups including
the +Europa party of former foreign minister and former European
commissioner Emma Bonino.
Here are the essential points of the +Europa manifesto:
- MORE EUROPE IN ITALY, MORE ITALY IN EUROPE:
Bonino means to fight to increase European integration and a
greater mutual say between Europe and Rome.
- 5-YEAR PUBLIC SPENDING FREEZE, LABOUR TAX CUTS:
In order to freeze public spending for five years, Bonino
says, taxes on employment need to be cut and financed by VAT
hikes and, less so, by property tax hikes.
- IUS SOLI, ENCOURAGE MIGRANT INTEGRATION:
Bonino means to resume the fight for a 'ius soli' law on
citizenship for the children of long-term immigrants.
- LEGALISATION OF CANNABIS FOR THERAPEUTIC ENDS:
Bonino also means to carry on this fight.
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