CEI rejects differentiated autonomy, here’s why: “It undermines solidarity between the Regions”
In the 79th General Assembly the text that highlights the possible risks of the Calderoli bill was approved. The appeal: "Let a social and cultural pact be signed"
ROME – The CEI freezes the government on differentiated autonomy. In the document approved during the last General Assembly, in fact, he puts in black and white the concerns about the possible risks and effects of the measure in the running for the regulatory goal. “The country will not grow unless together. This belief has accompanied, over the decades, the duty and will of the Church to be present and supportive in every part of Italy, to promote authentic development of the entire country”. This is what we read in the text approved by the Permanent Episcopal Council on 22 May during the work of the 79th General Assembly of the CEI. The text refers to the theme of differentiated autonomy.
“It is a fundamental principle of unity and co-responsibility – explains the Italian Episcopal Conference – which invites us to rediscover the authentic meaning of the State, of the home common, of a shared project for the future. These are very current words even today, in which the methods of implementing the differentiated autonomy of the regions with ordinary statute are discussed, as permitted by the constitutional provisions. And it is precisely the history of the country tell us that there is no development without solidarity, attention to the least, valorization of differences and co-responsibility in the promotion of the common good.
The experience of synodality of our Churches gives us particular strength, thanks to the which we are growing in the ability to ‘walk together’ as Christian communities and with the territories and civil community of the country”.
“SOLIDARITY AND SUBSIDIARITY INSEPARABLE PRINCIPLES”
“In particular, we believe that the word ‘together’ is the key to facing today’s challenges and the path that leads to a possible future for everyone. In fact, we are convinced – and history confirms it – that the principle of subsidiarity is inseparable from that of solidarity. Every time they split, the social fabric is impoverished, either because individual realities are promoted without asking them to commit to the common good, or because there is a risk of centralizing everything at state level. without valorizing the skills of individuals. Solidarity and subsidiarity must walk together otherwise a void will be created that is impossible to fill. Pope Francis, we repeat that ‘universal brotherhood and social friendship within every society are two inseparable and coessential poles. Separating them leads to distortion and harmful polarization.”
“WORRIED ABOUT HEALTH INEQUALITIES, ESSENTIAL LEVELS MUST BE GUARANTEED”
“We have always cared about the well-being of each person, of the communities, of the entire country, while we are concerned about any attempt to accentuate the imbalances that already exist between territories, between metropolitan and internal areas , between centers and suburbs. In this sense,the bill which specifies the conditions for the activation of differentiated autonomy –provided for by article 116, third paragraph, of the Constitution – risks undermining the foundations of that bond of solidarity between the different Regions, which is a safeguard for the principle of unity of the Republic. This risk cannot be underestimated, particularly in light of the inequalities already existing, especially in the field of health protection, to which a large part of the resources due to the Regions are dedicated and which raises apprehension as it is inadequate to citizens’ expectations both in terms of the timing and methods of disbursement of the services. The developments of the system of autonomies – whose construction with Luigi Sturzo, in the last century, was one of the main contributions of Catholics to the life of the country – cannot fail to take into account the effective definition of the essential levels of services relating to civil rights and social issues which must be guaranteed uniformly throughout the national territory. Faced with all this, we make an appeal to the political institutions to sign a ‘social and cultural pact’ (Evangelii gaudium, 239), so that mechanisms of development, control and social justice are increased for each and every one strong>”, concludes the CEI.