Mediation evidence on the Ukraine decree and, in particular on the increase in military spending, on which the majority risks splitting in the Senate. Fiercely opposed to the 2% of GDP threshold, for investments in defense, is the 5-star Movement, followed by Leu. Ready to deal with the government, firm on the commitments made at a military level but also ready to evaluate the vote of confidence to “save” the provision by clearing all the amendments and agendas such as that of FdI which commits it to reach the threshold of 2 percent on military spending. In this context, the face-to-face to be held in the next few hours between Prime Minister Mario Draghi and his predecessor and leader of the 5S, Giuseppe Conte, is part of this.
Majority in search of agreement
Meanwhile, the search for an agreement has failed with a meeting, via video link, between the Minister for Relations with Parliament, Federico D’Incà and the leaders of the various groups at Palazzo Madama and the two Foreign and Defense commissions that should approve the decree , to discuss it in the classroom on Wednesday. According to what is learned, M5S and Leu have remained on the barricades refusing any type of proposed mediation, which could have entered – in the event of an agreement – on an ad hoc agenda.
On the provision, already voted in the Chamber on March 17, the divisions are not essentially on the contents but on the agenda proposed by the Brothers of Italy which asks the government to keep faith with the commitment made – also by President Draghi, yes he recalls in the document – on the “need to increase defense spending” up to 2%.
Room for maneuver for FdI
If Giorgia Meloni’s party asks to put him to the vote (very likely), he will have the no of 5S and LeU. “Our position is linear. Let’s go ahead », Conte insists. And just the trust would automatically lock the decree, making every related motion invalid. Extreme ratio to “save” the measure – passed unscathed and without confidence in Montecitorio – since everyone would confirm the confidence. M5S included. In short, the opposition has an opportunity to track down and weaken the majority, relying on the coherence of the government with respect to the positions taken at European level and international credibility. So much so that the leader of FdI, Giorgia Meloni shrugs when she reiterates that “on military spending it is the government that supports us”, dismissing the risks of a “governmental” split as “a problem of the majority”.
The landing at the Def
No hesitation from Palazzo Chigi. Italy will be faithful to the commitment made with NATO to bring military spending to 2% by 2024, with a path that should be reaffirmed in the Economics and Finance Document (Thursday could arrive on the table of the Council of Ministers). The landing at the Def could therefore be the way out for the 5 Stars. On the table – and above all on the pressure of the Democratic Party and IV – there would also be the option of a unitary agenda of the majority (in addition to that of FdI) that would give the sign of compactness despite everything, and on which, for example, we it could be a vague reference to the Def on military spending, specifying that reaching 2% of GDP would be a gradual goal.