Italy’s parliament has rejected a first project to reduce the perks and salaries of Italian MPs. The cut was another link in the chain of actions being taken by Monti’s technocrat government and although the collective salary of a bunch of MPs will never ever solve the national deficit – whatever the national parliament we are talking about – this kind of move tends to be an important symbolic move if nothing else. According to the Italian MPs the reason they are rejecting this law is because the terms in which it was phrased were unconstitutional. House leader Gianfranco Fini confirmed that the salary cut will happen – sooner rather than later. The MP salary deal in Malta will remain a sour deal and a tough cookie to wave aside in the pre-election tam-tam. Government friendly observers might point out that the move served to put ministers and opposition MPs on the same standing and that it will benefit ALL parliamentarians but the fact remains that the Maltese raise was made as surreptitiously as they could manage. It might be good to bear in mind though that the issue at hand when the anti-government complaints come through is not whether the salary suffices but whether the politicians are acting in solidarity with the people.
And yes, the people will always put themselves before their politicians. How else could it be?
