The basic income, the pride of the Cinque Stelle, divides Italy. Now Premier Mario Draghi is reissuing it – with an additional billion and more controls.
from
Oliver Meiler, Rome
When Luigi Di Maio from the Cinque Stelle looks back on the past three years, there is one scene that is particularly embarrassing for him. It took place in autumn 2018 on the central balcony on the first floor of Palazzo Chigi, the seat of the Italian premier. It was late in the evening. In the Council of Ministers the introduction of the citizen’s wages, the “Reddito di cittadinanza”, was decided, it was the protest party’s main concern. The Five Stars had gathered a few dozen parliamentarians under the balcony, waving flags in joyful anticipation of the announcement that their ministers were about to blow across the piazza.