Lots of decrees but little change in Italian PM Meloni's first year
From a flight price cap to LGBT rights and migration, Giorgia Meloni's government has decreed countless new laws in the past year - but many seem designed for show rather than lasting change.
The prime minister has sought to please her hard-right voter base with frequent announcements of new laws made by decree, only to see them ruled unconstitutional, criticised as impossible to enforce, challenged under EU regulations, watered down by parliament, or dropped by her own ministers.
“The government has not done much," said Gianfranco Pasquino, professor of political science at Bologna University.
READ ALSO: Not so radical: Italy's Meloni marks one year in power
It has "sometimes emphasised repressive elements which please the right", without seeking to initiate structural reforms, he told AFP.
Claudio Cerasa, director of Il Foglio newspaper, put it more bluntly last month, accusing the government of "using laws not to govern but to make propaganda".
It seems to be working, however, with opinion polls showing that 12 months after taking office, Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy party is more popular than ever.
Top of the list was a surprise tax on profits made by Italian banks from rising interest rates, announced late one August evening only to be heavily watered down after bank shares plunged the next day.
That same night, ministers announced plans to cap ticket prices on flights to and from the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, prompting low-cost carrier Ryanair to complain to the EU.
Weeks later, the government quietly dropped the plan.
Other headline-grabbing announcements over the past year included a proposal to crack down on the use of the English language in government, business and educational settings, which since appears to have been forgotten about.
Elsewhere, a law currently being debated in parliament to extend Italy's ban on surrogacy beyond its borders has been denounced as unconstitutional and unenforceable.
Meloni's coalition, which places huge importance on traditional family values, has made the law a priority and wants to prosecute Italian couples - both straight and gay - who use a surrogate mother even in countries where surrogacy is legal.
On the hot button issue of mass migration, Meloni's government has also announced a string of new rules including longer detention for irregular migrants.
But two separate Sicilian judges have refused to apply one of the government's migration decrees, ruling it unconstitutional - and subsequently facing the ire of Meloni and her ministers.
Despite the government's pledges and decrees, the number of people arriving on Italy's shores on boats from North Africa has almost doubled in the past year, according to interior ministry figures.
READ ALSO:
- What’s behind Italy’s soaring number of migrant arrivals?
- ‘We hoped for better’: How Italy’s government has floundered on migration
- Five graphs to understand migration to Italy
"It's one thing to make political propaganda to gain votes and win elections, it's another thing to govern," noted Francesco Clementi, from Rome's Sapienza University.
"The promises Meloni made as a politician, she cannot keep as prime minister."
The format is often the same: a story dominates Italy's news channels and newspapers, Meloni calls a cabinet meeting, and they announce a new decree law to tackle the issue in question, from juvenile delinquency to the vandalism of public buildings.
Decree laws take effect immediately but must be approved by parliament within 60 days.
Often they are amended or dropped, but by that time, the news cycle has moved on and what remains in the public eye is the original announcement.
READ ALSO: Italy plans €60k fines for ‘vandalism’ in crackdown on climate protests
Meloni is not the only prime minister to use decree laws, although analysts note she has relied on them more heavily than previous governments - despite having a healthy majority in parliament, meaning she should be able to pass laws relatively easily.
Antonio Nicita, vice president of senators of the opposition centre-left Democratic Party, noted that Meloni herself used to rail against the use of decree laws while in opposition.
He accused the government of trying to distract public attention from slowing economic growth and the lack of progress in reducing Italy's colossal debt.
"The government is compensating for a poor socio-economic performance with ideological and populist interventions on crime and migrants," he told AFP.
On Sunday, marking her one-year anniversary in office, Meloni said on Facebook that the road ahead was "still long and winding".
"We'll continue, with our heads held high, making those courageous choices that for too long were not made."
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The prime minister has sought to please her hard-right voter base with frequent announcements of new laws made by decree, only to see them ruled unconstitutional, criticised as impossible to enforce, challenged under EU regulations, watered down by parliament, or dropped by her own ministers.
“The government has not done much," said Gianfranco Pasquino, professor of political science at Bologna University.
READ ALSO: Not so radical: Italy's Meloni marks one year in power
It has "sometimes emphasised repressive elements which please the right", without seeking to initiate structural reforms, he told AFP.
Claudio Cerasa, director of Il Foglio newspaper, put it more bluntly last month, accusing the government of "using laws not to govern but to make propaganda".
It seems to be working, however, with opinion polls showing that 12 months after taking office, Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy party is more popular than ever.
Top of the list was a surprise tax on profits made by Italian banks from rising interest rates, announced late one August evening only to be heavily watered down after bank shares plunged the next day.
That same night, ministers announced plans to cap ticket prices on flights to and from the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, prompting low-cost carrier Ryanair to complain to the EU.
Weeks later, the government quietly dropped the plan.
Other headline-grabbing announcements over the past year included a proposal to crack down on the use of the English language in government, business and educational settings, which since appears to have been forgotten about.
Elsewhere, a law currently being debated in parliament to extend Italy's ban on surrogacy beyond its borders has been denounced as unconstitutional and unenforceable.
Meloni's coalition, which places huge importance on traditional family values, has made the law a priority and wants to prosecute Italian couples - both straight and gay - who use a surrogate mother even in countries where surrogacy is legal.
On the hot button issue of mass migration, Meloni's government has also announced a string of new rules including longer detention for irregular migrants.
But two separate Sicilian judges have refused to apply one of the government's migration decrees, ruling it unconstitutional - and subsequently facing the ire of Meloni and her ministers.
Despite the government's pledges and decrees, the number of people arriving on Italy's shores on boats from North Africa has almost doubled in the past year, according to interior ministry figures.
READ ALSO:
- What’s behind Italy’s soaring number of migrant arrivals?
- ‘We hoped for better’: How Italy’s government has floundered on migration
- Five graphs to understand migration to Italy
"It's one thing to make political propaganda to gain votes and win elections, it's another thing to govern," noted Francesco Clementi, from Rome's Sapienza University.
"The promises Meloni made as a politician, she cannot keep as prime minister."
The format is often the same: a story dominates Italy's news channels and newspapers, Meloni calls a cabinet meeting, and they announce a new decree law to tackle the issue in question, from juvenile delinquency to the vandalism of public buildings.
Decree laws take effect immediately but must be approved by parliament within 60 days.
Often they are amended or dropped, but by that time, the news cycle has moved on and what remains in the public eye is the original announcement.
READ ALSO: Italy plans €60k fines for ‘vandalism’ in crackdown on climate protests
Meloni is not the only prime minister to use decree laws, although analysts note she has relied on them more heavily than previous governments - despite having a healthy majority in parliament, meaning she should be able to pass laws relatively easily.
Antonio Nicita, vice president of senators of the opposition centre-left Democratic Party, noted that Meloni herself used to rail against the use of decree laws while in opposition.
He accused the government of trying to distract public attention from slowing economic growth and the lack of progress in reducing Italy's colossal debt.
"The government is compensating for a poor socio-economic performance with ideological and populist interventions on crime and migrants," he told AFP.
On Sunday, marking her one-year anniversary in office, Meloni said on Facebook that the road ahead was "still long and winding".
"We'll continue, with our heads held high, making those courageous choices that for too long were not made."
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