LETTA'S GOVERNMENT WINS FIRST CONFIDENCE VOTE

Enrico Letta's government won on Friday a confidence vote that will enable the passing of urgently needed legislation.  Of particular urgency was a bill that will get much needed financial aid to regions which have been hit by natural disasters. 
Personally, I think that Letta and his team are doing very well under difficult circumstances. 
What do you think?

Hmmm, Letta (PD, centre left) is trying, against all odds, to run a government with the support of the PdL (centre right). The PdL is/was Berlusconi's party, now run by the unpleasant Alfano who is a lawyer promoted by Berlusconi (presumably he managed to get said Silvio off sone of his many charges).
The red lines for the PdL (which they stated from the beginning as a condition of supporting the Letta government) are the increase in IVA scheduled for July 1, and the abolition of IMU on prima casa. (They will probably move on their third demand, the refund of last year's IMU on prima casa.)
Letta has stated categorically that his government cannot find the money to avoid implementing the IVA increase. So - presumably - his coalition will fall apart within 10 days.

We both agree in that the circumstances are not only difficult, but also unpleasant. I am a bit more confident in Letta's ability to navigate the waters. And I will still hope that the IVA increase will be at least postponed and that there will be no past IMU refunds. It would be suicidal.

I would think that, on balance (for the good of the country), if the Government can cope with no IMU on Prima Casa, that in itself will be a big saving for individual homeowners and might help to persuade PdL to be flexible. Paying back last years IMU is a silly idea as it would cost so much in actually making it happen. The IVA increase is miniscule to individuals but will bring in vast amounts over years.

So........ if the parties sit around the table and give and take a bit (ha !) maybe, just maybe, Letta might just hang on ?

V

What has Letta actually done in the 2 months he has been 'in power'?  He has postponed a tax payment by 3 months and slapped a bit of tax on petrol.  That is it. Which means that since Monti resigned 8 months ago, nobody has done anything, and Italy is still sliding towards the quagmire that it will reach in the autumn when there is no money left in the safe.   Berlo wants immunity from his sentences, and is using the rise in IVA for leverage, otherwise the odious minions will pull their support and bring down the government, though how a minority party can do this is questionable.  Yet again, the entire politics of the country is being run to save the saggy old skin of one person, and everything else must wait.  In the meantime Cammusso and the hordes want a perfect country with jobs for the young, the old,contracts befitting the 1960's, barbie dolls for every little girl and sunny days when required.  For how much longer this can go on?