Domestic Policy
Quirinale: The Supreme Council of Defence meets today at the Quirinale to discuss ongoing wars, with a focus on Ukraine. Central to the debate are military aid to Kyiv, assessed based on available resources and access to the Purl programme, developed by Washington to purchase and deliver American weapons to Ukraine. Giorgia Meloni will confirm Italy’s commitment to President Mattarella, while the League continues to raise doubts about support for Kyiv. Meanwhile, the twelfth aid package has been signed and awaits approval from the Court of Auditors, while a parliamentary vote in January is expected on the renewal of authorisation for the delivery of weapons.
Healthcare: In an interview published in La Stampa, Health Minister Orazio Schillaci outlines the government’s strategies to address challenges related to ageing and waiting lists. Schillaci emphasises that “Community Health Centres are not an infrastructure in themselves, but the place where health and social services truly meet” and that there must be a “paradigm shift: fewer hospitals, more territory”. On the issue of family caregivers, the minister highlights that “without them, the healthcare system would already have collapsed” and that “we are strengthening territorial care”. Regarding funding, Schillaci notes that “this budget includes the largest increase ever recorded, amounting to €136.5 billion”.
Foreign Policy
Germany: Referring specifically to Ukraine and Gaza, President Sergio Mattarella stated yesterday during a speech at the German Parliament that, according to the United Nations, over 90% of conflict victims are civilians, stressing that this reality cannot be ignored or left unpunished. The Head of State’s position appears to reflect the difficulty of reaching an agreement with Putin. Furthermore, Mattarella warned that new figures akin to “Dr Strangelove” are emerging, promoting the idea that “we must love the bomb”, indicating an alarming risk of escalation.
Israel: A vote on the US resolution for Gaza is expected in New York at the UN, based on the Trump plan, which includes the disarmament of Hamas and a transitional administration committee. Russia and Israel have rejected the text, particularly due to references to a future Palestinian state and the possibility of entrusting Gaza to a reformed Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu reaffirms that “our opposition to a Palestinian state […] is firm”, supported by several ministers. Riyadh rules out normalisation of relations with Israel, while in Lebanon the IDF opened fire, apparently by mistake, on UNIFIL mission troops.
Economy and Finance
Budget Law: Political debate over the Budget Law remains intense: the League insists on the write-off of tax arrears and the freeze on retirement age, while Brothers of Italy withdraws the amendment on strikes following union protests. Central to the debate is also the building amnesty in Campania, described by Minister Piantedosi as “a common-sense operation”, criticised by the centre-left and met with indifference by Forza Italia. Meanwhile, the Budget Committee must assess thousands of amendments, with the League and Forza Italia focused on pensions, Irap, short-term rentals, and pension extensions.
Agcom: The Authority for Communications Guarantees had already blocked international telemarketing calls using fake Italian numbers. Now, restrictions are expanding to combat spoofing, a multi-platform deception technique used to disguise identities and carry out fraud. Telecommunications companies will verify whether numbers are active and whether users are roaming, to block suspicious calls. The proliferation of private phone numbers often stems from lead generation processes, where companies acquire data through online questionnaires, contests, and registrations. Additionally, automated and unauthorised data scraping collects information from websites and social media, contributing to the rise in unwanted calls.