Confindustria president Emanuele Orsini met Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi on Wednesday, with Italy’s budget among the topics discussed. Orsini said the conversation also covered industry and energy, describing it as frank, constructive and positive. He reiterated Confindustria’s call for a long-term industrial plan for Italy and Europe.

The meeting came as the budget bill faces scrutiny in Parliament. The Chamber of Deputies’ Budget Committee has proposed removing three provisions it considers outside the proper scope of the legislation. They include a measure on discounted digital, printable versions of school and university textbooks, a provision for patients to receive summaries of healthcare services and their tariffs, and a change concerning staff assigned to support commissioners overseeing post-disaster reconstruction.

The Chamber’s Budget Committee is due to receive amendments to the bill by 6 p.m. on November 17. The admissibility review is scheduled for November 23 or 24, with appeals to be assessed the following day. The Chamber’s president is expected to inform the assembly of the proposed removals during its afternoon sitting.

Parliamentary Relations Minister Luca Ciriani said the government would consider whether to correct or improve the bill during its passage through Parliament, where discussions with the opposition are expected to begin next week. He rejected claims that healthcare funding had been cut, saying resources for the National Health Fund had increased. On schools, he said the bill provides for fewer teacher hires as student numbers decline.

Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said the government would work during the legislative process to remove a planned reduction in hiring. He cited about 206,000 staff hired by the government and an estimated 40,000 additional teacher hires for the next school year.

Emilia-Romagna governor Michele de Pascale warned that regions could take the government to the Constitutional Court if the budget remains unchanged, arguing that healthcare funding arrangements shift responsibility to regional authorities without adequate resources. Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, meanwhile, said Forza Italia was willing to consider improvements concerning pensions and schools during parliamentary review.

Sources: ANSA Politica.