Italy: 24bn euros economic “maneuver” approved by the Council of Ministers and causes protests

“The crisis is forcing all countries to reduce the public debt, so our measures aim to bring the ratio between deficit and GDP from 5% currently down to 2.7% in 2012” declared Silvio Berlusconi yesterday during the press conference at the Palazzo Chigi, presenting the decree-law approved the day before by the Council of Ministers. The €24-bn “economic maneuver” for 2011-2011 it contains is Italy’s answer to the euro crisis launched by speculation, explained the President of the Italian Council. The goal is to “reduce the State’s weight in the economy and in society.” Pointing out that this crisis has “nothing to do” with that of 2008-09, “which the government was able to overcome with the results everyone knows,” Mr. Berlusconi said that it was now civil servants’ turn to “get a sense of responsibility,” since their income has increased more than in the private sector over the last decade (42.5% as opposed to 24.8%). Besides, unlike employees in the private sector, they can’t loose their job because of the crisis. Here are the decree-law’s key measures affecting labor.
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that of 2008-09, “which the government was able to overcome with the results everyone knows,” Mr. Berlusconi said that it was now civil servants’ turn to “get a sense of responsibility,” since their income has increased more than in the private sector over the last decade (42.5% as opposed to 24.8%). Besides, unlike employees in the private sector, they can’t loose their job because of the crisis. Here are the decree-law’s key measures affecting labor.

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