ROME – The Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni The issue of the minimum wage is taking time, bringing up the National Council for Business and Labor headed by the former minister Renato Brunetta: “He will have 60 days to prepare a proposal and also to involve the social partners.”

This is the novelty at the table convened in Palazzo Chigi with all the opposition, presented together with the proposal for a salary of 9 euros. In the meeting, an interlude during the August holidays, Meloni softens the tones of the previous evening. He assures that he has “no prejudices” on the subject, even though he had completely rejected the minimum wage hypothesis held by the general public in a video just 48 hours earlier. And it opens up a comparison of the poor wages which he claims are “due to Italy’s low growth over the last twenty years compared to France and Germany”. “The problem is palpable and I want to deal with it, unlike the opposition, which is raising its voice today but did nothing when it was in government,” Meloni taunts. There are “divergences,” he affirms, but adds that he wants to “also involve the social partners” and work “together” to arrive at a proposal ahead of the maneuver that would put “families and work” at the heart.

But the Prime Minister does not convince the opposition leaders present of the Democrats Elly Schlein to the president of the 5 stars Joseph Conteout of Charles Calenda the action a Nicola Fratoianni of the Alliance Greens and Left e Riccardo Magi von +Europe: You say you are disappointed because in fact “the government has not brought any concrete proposals to the table”.

Meloni appears at the Palazzo Chigi together with the two Undersecretaries of State of the Presidency, Alfredo Mantovano And John the Baptist fazzolarMe and the Secretary of Labor Marina Elvira Calderone. Also present were the Secretary of Forza Italia and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajaniwhile for the league Matthew Salvini joins the liaison and the Under-Secretary of State for the Northern League for Labor takes the floor at the table Claudius Durigon. Meloni opens the proceedings by speaking impromptu for 25 minutes, opening a broad discussion about bad work: “I have no prejudices,” he says, and then asks questions about the opposition’s unity proposal. “Why don’t you also include a salary of 9 euros in your proposal for the housework? – he asks – And how much would it cost the state to reimburse small and medium-sized businesses?». The tones are more than forgiving. The bad part is left to Minister Calderone, who speaks immediately afterwards: “The minimum wage does not seem to us to be the solution to the problem,” says the minister, who then announces the idea of ​​entrusting both to the CNEL led by Brunetta. the drafting of a possible law to be presented to Parliament’ and the task of ‘opening a discussion with the social partners’. Undersecretary for Labor Durigon reiterated the league’s “middle” line: “It’s okay to start discussing the minimum wage for jobs that don’t have collective bargaining. Then let’s see, the opposition has an ideological position.”

Opposition representatives speak in alphabetical order. Calenda begins: “Everyone is ready to move forward and let’s say it’s a first step in the right direction.” The boss of the 5 stars, Giuseppe Conte, is more critical: “We came to the meeting with the government with a constructive spirit .” Apart from the fact that there was no counter-proposal today: the involvement of the Cnel seems to us like a ball thrown in the stands, we will continue to collect signatures for a popular initiative law.” The representative of the Green-Left Alliance, Fratoianni, of the Meloni met this morning on the Bari-Rome flight, says he is “dissatisfied”: “We expected at least one proposal.” Then a small curtain rises with Riccardo Magi from +Europa: “We have been discussing the minimum wage in the Parliament, this discussion today with so many questions from you is disconcerting,” says Magi. President Meloni smiles: “It seems strange to you because you have just returned from vacation.” And Magi replies: “She too has returned from vacation, as far as I have read.” Everyone laughs. But laughter doesn’t dissolve the mutual distrust, it doesn’t shorten the distance.

As announced, the Schlein’s secretary influences Meloni on other fronts as well. “It seems to me that the government has neither ideas nor concrete initiatives on the minimum wage,” he said on the subject of the meeting. And then he adds on the Prime Minister’s sidelines: “We request that two other important issues be considered, namely the non-resignation of.” Marcellus DeAngelis for the sentence on the Bologna massacre and for the refreshments that have not yet reached the populations affected by the floods in Emilia Romagna.”

Meloni explains his response to journalists as he leaves Palazzo Chigi: “In Emilia Romagna, I responded with a long letter to the constant complaints of Bonaccini, which I consider unfounded. And at De Angelis, I don’t think I’ll have to deal with the communications manager for the Lazio region either.” In short, unchanged positions. But we will talk again about the minimum wage. In October, before the maneuver, is the promise.