Meloni government: Italy’s turnaround in corona policy

Italy’s anti-Covid policy has been one of the most consistent in Europe. The new Meloni government puts an end to this. Today the vaccination requirement for doctors and nurses is to be abolished – but that’s not all.

New Health Minister Orazio Schillaci is in a hurry to reverse Italy’s anti-Covid policy. Already today, in the first cabinet meeting after the vote of confidence, the Meloni government wants to decide to abolish the obligation to vaccinate doctors and nurses. Giorgia Meloni had announced in her government statement that her cabinet would “under no circumstances” continue what she considered to be too hard a line of the Draghi government in the fight against Covid.

Meloni and her ministers are moving in a dangerous direction, warns microbiologist Andrea Crisanti, one of the best-known corona experts in Italy during the pandemic and senator for the opposition Democrats since the election: “What Meloni says is proof that the memory is obvious vacation.” Crisanti criticizes that she has forgotten “that Lombardy in particular has contributed dramatically to the high number of deaths and infections in the pandemic”.

Crisanti believes that the problems in the Lombardy region, which is governed by Meloni’s coalition partner Lega, were partly due to the fact that those responsible there did not take the Covid problem seriously. The course of the new Meloni government is a bow to the corona deniers and opponents of vaccination, says Stefano Bonaccini, possible new party leader of the Democrats and President of the Emilia-Romagna region.

Covid numbers only weekly

The cancellation of the vaccination requirement for medical staff is only part of the measures planned by the Italian government. In future, the current Covid numbers will no longer be announced daily, but only once a week.

At the weekend, Finance and Economics Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti issued a temporary amnesty for those who refuse to vaccinate. In these days, fines should be sent to around one million over 50-year-olds who have not complied with the statutory vaccination requirement. It was introduced to this age group under Mario Draghi.

The Meloni government has stopped punishing those who refuse to vaccinate. Formally, the fines (each over 100 euros) are only suspended until June 30 next year – but this allowed the government to order the measure immediately.

Does Mattarella get in the way?

At today’s cabinet meeting, the government also wants to largely end the obligation to wear masks in hospitals and old people’s homes. Here, however, President Sergio Mattarella threatens to stand in the way.

In a speech to scientists at the weekend, Mattarella did not go into detail about the measures planned by the Meloni government – but he warned that the corona risk should be declared over: “After more than two and a half years of the pandemic, we cannot yet finally win over Declare Covid. Responsibility and precautions still required.” The public health sector, Mattarella said, has an obligation to keep safety levels high, “especially for the most vulnerable and the elderly.”

Foretaste of the coming months?

After this warning from the President, who is respected as an authority in Italy, the Meloni government is ready to relax its planned easing somewhat. According to media reports, a mask requirement, at least for the particularly endangered areas in hospitals and retirement homes, should now be maintained.

The conflict with the President over Covid policy may be a foretaste of the coming months. Mattarella, who comes from the Democratic Party, could become the most important opponent of the new, right-wing government in some legislative proposals. According to the Italian constitution, the President has the right of veto and can refuse to sign laws if he fears that they will cause fundamental problems for the country.

The number of Covid infections in Italy is currently falling. The seven-day incidence is around 350 – and thus around a third lower than in Germany. Among other things, experts attribute the numbers to the fact that Italy under the Draghi government achieved one of the highest vaccination rates in Europe.