(ANSA) - Rome, January 17 - The decree that will bring in
the government's two flagship measures - the 'citizenship wage'
basic income for job seekers and the 'quota 100' pension reform
that will reduce the retirement age for some people - was
approved at a cabinet meeting on Thursday evening.
Premier Giuseppe Conte said that "this is a fundamental stage
for this government experience, they are two measures that do
not respond to extemporary electoral promises but constitute a
project of social and economic policy of which this government
is proud".
Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio said that no one will be able to
abuse the basic income saying there were 'anti-couch' measures
built into the decree.
He said the basic income would range between 780 euros and
1032 euros.
He said there would also be a "training pact" in the measure.
Conte said that one million people would be able to retire
earlier over three years.
The decree earmarks 22 billion euros in "real money", Deputy
Premier Matteo Salvini said.
One million jobs will open up as one million people retire
under the quota 100 scheme, Salvini said.
The government will now go ahead and realise all of its
contract, Di Maio said.
"Everything has been resolved, Everything is fine. The text
is ready," said earlier Labour Undersecretary Claudio Durigon
after a meeting of top government figures, including Conte and
his two deputies, Interior Minster Salvini and Labour and
Industry Minister Di Maio.
Di Maio expressed satisfaction earlier on Thursday, with the
cabinet set to approve the decree for a new basic income and a
pension overhaul after the meeting of senior government figures.
"Today is an important day and, as always, the citizens are
the winners," 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Di Maio told ANSA.
"It's a result that rewards the years of battles
carried out by the M5S", said the leader of the
anti-establishment movement.
The cabinet meeting to approve the decree began around six
o'clock and was still going shortly before eight o'clock,
sources said.
Officials were still hammering out the final details, sources
said.
The cabinet meeting on the decree lasted only half an hour,
sources said.
The examination of the decree for the government's
'quota 100' pension reform and its 'citizenship wage' basic
income was put off last week amid government tension over a
range of issues including the TAV high-speed rail line between
Turin and Lyon.
The pension reform, amending an unpopular 2011 reform that
raised the retirement age to 67, is the League's pet policy
promise while the basic income is the flagship campaign pledge
of the M5S.
Agreement has been found on allocations for early severance
pay for state employees and for the Alitalia flight fund,
sources said.
State employees already at 'quota 100' will leave in August,
the sources said.
After the introduction of the 'citizenship wage', the REI
'inclusion wage' basic income support will be eliminated but not
for those already receiving it.
Govt approves basic-income, pension reform decree
Cabinet gives green light after final problems sorted