The Italian Government is closing a very long year for the politics of the country with its first major trial by fire is overcome, and with a balance sheet relatively flat. The Executive of the coalition of the Movement 5 Stars (M5S) and the Democratic Party (PD) led by Giuseppe Conte was born last September with the immediate objectives to prevent the early election, which threatened the leader of the League, Matteo Salvini, after breaking the previous alliance government, and to elaborate the budget law for the year 2020. Has achieved the two things and without too many surprises, in contrast with the chaos and clashes with Brussels that led to the approval of the latest accounts of Italy.

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The movement of the ‘sardines’ that plant face-to-Salvini Salvini benching the experiment election of PD and 5 Star hotels in Umbria

once insured survival in a time express, it was time to set new goals for a longer period and to consolidate the fragile alliance to ensure the permanence of the Executive. But the grillinos and its partners in the centre-left still need to determine how to implement the common programme of government.

For the prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, after four months of “obstacle race” to find sufficient resources to avoid a tax hike, it opens the shift from a “marathon” to “schedule an ambitious plan of reforms”, which will begin in January and will last for three years, until the end of the legislature. “This time will allow us to better plan the initiatives of the Government, without the emergency room these past months,” said Conte yesterday in the press conference of the end of the year in which answered questions from the press for three hours. Also was proud to have “secured the country” budgets “serious and responsible”.

The question in the air is how you are going to proceed with the alliance, formed by two former archenemies, now that does not have a concrete goal to pursue. “Does not exist or could not be a true strategic alliance, because that would require a dialogue between the two formations, which up to now have had a troubled relationship. This is a Government of necessity,” says the political scientist Piero Ignazi. And throws a question: “what will Achieve a solid relationship, they will begin the two forces to talk more?”.

The Movement 5 Stars, the more wear and tear it has suffered in these two terms, as they have certified the polls, the european elections and several elections of regional, does not want to lose the time and has asked the prime minister a meeting between the representatives of the coalition at the beginning of January. The grillinos, who have already seen escape to five mps —three of them to the thwarts of the League— and cornered by the internal tensions, seeking to accelerate the action of the Government, and seal with its partners a new shared plan. “In our agreement there are no dreams or promises unrealistic, but programmatic points to be precise and to be held in January,” said the prime minister yesterday.

Elections in the view

to Establish the mechanisms for the implementation of the signed agreement will be vital to mark a course necessary. “This Government in reality has not managed to take off, it has not been able to give a reason for it to be stable; it is a Government without a soul, a sum of matches between them do not fit,” says the historian and political analyst Paolo Pombeni. And he adds: “Until now, it has advanced leaving aside the problems that could cause division and complications, but as of January will no longer be able to do it.”

One of the 29 issues of the program of the Government that signed the two formations in September, and still need to be addressed, provides for the review of the current and severe immigration laws devised by the far-right Matteo Salvini on the stage of the minister of the Interior. Conte has assured that this will be one of the central issues for the Government. And bore hard against the League leaders, by openly acknowledging that, in Italy, the ports were never closed. “The difference was to have them [the ships humanitarian migrants rescued] more or less days at sea. Political Propaganda,” settled.

The coalition must also tackle the 26 of January the regional elections in Emilia-Romagna, a historical bastion of the left and the right has seen a ascent fulminant. The results may alter the balance of forces of the alliance in the case of the center-left, with a short advantage in the polls, to get a clear victory or if a failure of the M5S out huge, as has happened in the last voting regional.