Parliamentary Political News, edition of 6 June 2024

ROME – EUROPEAN. HOLLAND TO VOTE, ALARM ABOUT RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE The Netherlands kicked off the 2024 European elections. At 7.30 the Dutch polling stations were the first to open their doors in the European Union, inaugurating an electoral session which in four days will lead to over 370 million people vote. Tomorrow it's Ireland's turn […]

ROME – EUROPEAN. HOLLAND TO VOTE, ALARM ABOUT RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE

The Netherlands kicked off the 2024 European elections. At 7.30 the Dutch polling stations were the first to open their doors in the European Union, inaugurating an electoral session that will bring over 370 million people to vote in four days. Tomorrow it’s Ireland and the Czech Republic’s turn. In Italy they vote on Saturday and Sunday. During the day several Dutch parties reported hacker attacks on their sites. There is red alert across the continent due to the role that Russian propaganda could play. The secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein today says she is “concerned”, while the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani points the finger at Putin, who with “a hybrid war is trying to scare Europe and the West”.

‘DEDICATED TO YOU’ 2024, THE SOCIAL CARD IS RENEWED

The social card for families with low incomes is renewed and the number of beneficiaries is increasing. Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida announced this at a press conference at Palazzo Chigi. The families who will benefit from the “Dedicated to You” card this year will be 1 million 330 thousand: +30 thousand compared to last year. The value, from September 1st, will rise to 500 euros. The card allows the purchase of basic food items, fuel or local public transport passes. The requirements to access: have Italian residency, an ISEE of less than 15 thousand euros and families of at least three people.

EUROPEAN. SALVINI: SURPRISE LEAGUE, MORE VOTES THAN POLITICS

“They have already given the Lega a funeral” but the Northern League will be the “positive surprise of these elections”. The Minister of Transport, Matteo Salvini, is convinced of this on the eve of the last day of the electoral campaign. “We will get more votes than what emerges from the polls and more than the policies. I have the feeling that we will get more votes than Forza Italia”, predicts the deputy prime minister, for whom the preferences for General Roberto Vannacci will also contribute: “He will get on the podium of most voted in all of Italy”, says Salvini. Finally, a joke about the opposition leaders: “Schlein is a good person, I like her, passionate, interesting and knowledgeable. Between her and Conte, I would definitely go to dinner with the PD leader, all my life.”

GDP GROWS BUT CONSUMPTION REMAINS FRAGILE

Lights on GDP, shadows on consumption. Istat estimates on gross domestic product indicate growth of 1% in 2024 and 1.1% in 2025, a moderate acceleration compared to 2023 when the figure was +0.9%. In the current year the increase would be supported by domestic and foreign demand. In 2025 it would instead be driven mainly by internal growth. For the Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, the data say that “we are on the right track” with a GDP that “is growing more than that of France and Germany”. However, there is bad news on the consumption front which, as Confcommercio denounces, “remains fragile: tourism and services may not be enough to meet the target change in GDP”. The sales data for April in particular “is worse than expected with food at -7.3%”.