Post date: Apr 29, 2013 6:3:49 PM
Politicians have reacted positively to a speech delivered by Enrico Letta to parliament ahead of a confidence vote on his new government.
ROME, ITALY (APRIL 29, 2013) (REUTERS) - Politicians reacted positively on Monday (April 29) following a speech to parliament by prime minister Enrico Letta ahead of a confidence vote on his government.
"I think it was a serious, responsible, balanced speech, speaking of the things that can actually be achieved. We'll see the debate and the vote now but I think that all the premises to set sail are there'' said Davide Zoggia a poltician from Letta'sDemocratic Party.Letta's government will be backed by his own centre-left Democratic Party, Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right People of Freedom (PDL) party as well as centrists led by former prime minister Mario Monti.
''I think (Letta) has incorporated many points of the centre-right program, in particular he gave a very positive response on the issue of the IMU property tax, and this is a good starting point. Then, he has focused on all of Italy's problems and let's hope that there will soon be an action plan to give answers to Italy's most urgent problems, starting with the work issues'' said Renata Polverini a politician from Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom Party.
''Italy needs governability, reliability and development. Letta has been giving a speech of sober optimism and responsibility. I think it is not the dreams-box, it is not a wish list, it is the proposal to the country of a phase of reconciliation and the political forces seem to understand this in this moment'' said Mario Marazziti, a politician from Mario Monti's Civic Choice Movement.
The first confidence vote for Letta's government will take place this evening at 1800gmt in the lower house of parliament. There will be another vote in the upper house on Tuesday.
''I think the most important thing that emerged today is that Letta thinks his government will last more than everyone had anticipated. He said that in eighteen months, not in a year, he will check the progress of the mysterious commission that will work on the institutional reforms and that only if at that point the commission will have worked well he will go ahead. So, clearly, we are not in front of a government of transition as this had been initially presented but we are faced with what inEurope would be defined a government of large coalition which has the ambition to last'' said Alfonso Gianni a left-wing politician.
Letta has said he will travel to Berlin, Paris and Brussels in the next days in order to deliver his government's pro-European message.