by Nicoletta Cottone
After the controversies raised by Fassino who waves the slip in the courtroom (“It is certainly not a golden salary”), count in hand what goes into the pockets of the honorable
4′ of reading
The gesture of the deputy Piero Fassino (Pd) of waving the 4,718 euro net slip in the chamber has caused much discussion. A joke to say that «the allowance that each deputy receives every month from the Chamber» is certainly «a good allowance, but it is not a golden salary». However, Fassino did not say that with per diems and reimbursements the amount available to parliamentarians exceeds 13,300 euros a month.
The average salary of Italians
And even if they were “only” 4,718 euros per month, it would still be a very different figure from the pay gross annual average per employee of Italians which, according to Istat data, is equal to almost 27 thousand euros, 12% lower than the EU average and 23% lower than the German one.
The net parliamentary allowance is between 4,750 and 5,000 euros a month
But how much does a deputy of the Italian Republic really get into his pocket? From 1 January 2012, the net amount of the parliamentary indemnity, for 12 months, is 5,269.04 euros, from which the regional and municipal surtaxes must then be subtracted (the amount varies in relation to the tax domicile of the deputy). Taking into account the average value of these additional taxes, the net monthly amount of the parliamentary allowance is approximately 5 thousand euros. The net measure is determined on the basis of the gross amount of 10,435 euros, on which social security (pension and end-of-term allowance), welfare (supplementary health care) and tax (IRPEF and regional and municipal surcharges) are withheld. MEPs who carry out another job, the net amount of the allowance amounts to approximately 4,750 euros, corresponding to a gross amount of 9,975 euros.
The daily gives 3,500 euro
The deputies also have the right to the recognition of the per diem allowance as reimbursement of living expenses in Rome (law 1261/1965). Currently it is 3,503.11 euros, following the reduction ordered by the Bureau at the meeting of 27 July 2010 (the reduction will last until 31 December 2025). This figure is reduced by 206.58 euros for each day of absence of the deputy from the sessions of the Assembly in which voting is done electronically. Another detail: the deputy who participates in at least 30% of the votes during the day is considered present. For those who seldom frequent the Chamber, the President’s Office, in its meetings of 25 October 2011 and 30 January 2012, approved a further reduction of up to 500 euros per month based on the percentage of absences from the meetings of the Executives, of the permanent and special Commissions , of the Committee for Legislation, of the bicameral Commissions and of inquiry, of the parliamentary delegations to the international Assemblies.
Reimbursement of expenses for the exercise of the mandate: 3,690 euros
In the meeting of 30 January 2012, the Bureau instituted a “reimbursement of expenses for the exercise of the mandate” which replaces the contribution for expenses related to the relationship between elected and voters. It is 3,690 euros (after the reduction of 500 euros in July 2010) and each deputy receives it directly in the following ways:
– for an amount up to a maximum of 50% as reimbursement for specific expenses that must be certified: collaborators (on the basis of a declaration of fulfillment of the obligations established by law, accompanied by a copy of the contract, with a certificate of conformity signed by a professional); consultancy, research; office management; use of public data consultation networks; conferences and support of political activities;
– for an amount equal to 50% on a flat-rate basis.
Transport and travel: up to 3,995 euros per quarter
The deputies have cards in their pockets for free movement of the motorway, railway, sea and air for transfers within the national territory. For journeys from the residence to the nearest airport and between Rome Fiumicino and Montecitorio airports, a quarterly reimbursement of expenses is envisaged in two brackets: 1) of 3,323.70 euros, for the deputy who must travel up to 100 kilometers to reach the airport closest to your place of residence; 2) the figure rises to 3,995.10 euros if the distance to be traveled is over 100 kilometres.
Telephone expenses: 1,200 euros per year
Over the years, the amount of the flat-rate reimbursement for telephone expenses has been reduced. The President’s office reduced it from 1 April 2014, bringing it down from 3,098.74 to 1,200 euros per year.
Healthcare: you pay just over 500 euros
The deputy also enjoys ad hoc health care. Every month, he pays a portion of his gross indemnity, equal to 526.66 euros, into a special fund, destined for the supplementary health care system which provides reimbursements according to a tariff.
End-of-term allowance: they pay around 784 euros per month
The deputy pays a monthly portion of his gross allowance, equal to 784.14 euros, into an ad hoc fund. At the end of the parliamentary mandate, the deputy receives the end-of-mandate allowance, which is equal to 80% of the gross monthly amount of the allowance, for each year of effective mandate (or fraction of no less than six months).
Parliamentary allowance to guarantee the free performance of the elective mandate
The parliamentary indemnity is provided for by article 69 of the Constitution, «to guarantee the free performance of the elective mandate». It is the Bureaus of the Chambers which – on the basis of article 1 of law 1261/1965 have the task of determining the amount of the monthly indemnity so that it does not exceed «the twelfth of the overall maximum gross annual salary of magistrates with functions of President of Section of the Court of Cassation and equivalent».
The cuts made over the years
To contain expenses, the Bureau of the Chamber has intervened on several occasions with measures to «reduce the economic treatment of deputies, «which today is considerably lower than the limit established by law», explain the experts of the Chamber. For example, in 2006, the amount of the parliamentary allowance was reduced by 10%. From 2007, there was a suspension of salary adjustments for 5 years, then extended to the whole of 2013. For the three-year period 2011-2013, the indemnity was further reduced by 10% for the part exceeding 90 thousand euros, and 20% for the part exceeding 150 thousand euros gross per year. The reduction is doubled for MPs who carry out a job for which they receive an income equal to or greater than 15% of the parliamentary allowance. A further reduction of the indemnity was approved by the Bureau on 30 January 2012. The Bureau then ordered the extension, until the end of 2020, of the measures for the reduction of the parliamentary allowance and the suspension of his adjustment. The Chamber of Deputies calculates that in the absence of the reductions and suspensions, the amount of the parliamentary indemnity would be 16,393.12 euros.
Nicoletta Cottone
Head of service