Italy's 5-Star and League agree a governing pact – but can they rule?

Italy's 5-Star and League agree a governing pact – but can they rule?

Italy
Picture of Althea Spinozzi
Althea Spinozzi

Head of Fixed Income Strategy

After weeks of protracted negotiations, Italy’s far-right League and populist 5-Star Movement have finally agreed a common platform for government. They still need to agree on a prime minister and furthermore, the pact is contingent on the approval of their respective party memberships as well as that of the Italian president. The text of the agreement is far from transparent, with much ambivalent wording, but here’s a quick look at some of the most salient points and the timeline for what will be the next steps.

Economic proposals in final government draft:

- Reduction of the public debt without using austerity measures. The final text doesn’t mention any longer the forgiveness of €250bn by the European Central Bank, however, it says that the government will ask that the bonds acquired by the ECB through quantitative easing be excluded from the calculus DEBT-GDP.
- Guaranteed minimum income: this was one of the flagship policies of the 5-Star movement, now it seems in the agreement the guaranteed minimum income will be available for citizens only for a maximum of two years.
- Flat tax of 15 and 20% for families and corporates. 
- New pension laws that would enable citizens to retire earlier. Cut to “golden pensions” above €5,000 if they are not justified by contributions.
- Alitalia airline must be saved and relaunched.
- Treno Alta Velocita’ (TAV )- the 5-Star party wanted to stop projects for the new Turin-Lyon high-speed train line (TAV). In the government draft it’s mentioned only the intention to discuss the project rather than halting it all.

Foreign Affairs:

- Removal of sanctions against Russia. It seems that the two parties have discussed the possibility to propose to the EU the withdrawal of sanctions against Russia. The Kremlin is pleased to hear the news
- Revision of EU treaties.  Parties wants to strengthen the role of the European Parliament.

Immigration
 
- Dublin Treaty to be challenged. Immigrants should be distributed throughout the EU instead  of being required to stay in the country where they first entered the EU. This point also calls for increased deportations. 
- Strengthening of domestic self-defence laws
- Removal of illegal Roma camps

And we cannot forget:

- Prime minister yet to be decided. Salvini (NL) confirms that neither himself nor Di Maio (5-Star) will be prime minister. A few names can be seen in the Italian press but the decision is not yet taken. It seems that Di Maio is still flirting with the idea to be prime minister himself. Until yesterday they discussed the possibility of taking turns.

May 18-19-20. 5-Star and Northern League parties to seek approval from their supporters.
- 18 May, 14:00. Salvini to return headquarters in Milan to brief senior officials.
- Throughout all the weekend the parties will be holding a vote in order to discover if their electorate supports the government draft they have been working on together. The 5-Star Movement will hold a vote online, while the Northern League will hold a vote in the Piazzas across the country.

May 21. Parties will meet President Mattarella.
- Mattarella has already mentioned that if the programme is not good enough he will need to set up a technical government that will govern Italy until the next elections. 

At this point it is hard to foresee whether Monday will be the decisive day. The Prime minister point has yet not been resolved and Italy’s President Mattarella reserve the right to set up a technical government if the proposed program cannot guarantee the governability of the country.

Although the idea to get €250bn of debt pardoned by the ECB has been binned, it is clear that the points outlined by the proposal are economically unsustainable and will cause deeper problems not only at the national level but even at the European Union level. The estimated cost of the policies can arrive to €125bn according to one of the leading Italian newspapers “La Republica” which will definitively weight negatively on the already highly indebted country, which at the moment has a debt to GDP ratio of 131%. These measures will definitively weight negatively on BTPS, and the spread between the Italian sovereign vs German bunds can reach levels last seen in 2011-2012 during the periphery-crisis where the spread spiked above 500bps. This could lead to weakness also in other European highly indebted countries such as Greece, which has plans where to end with the bailout this summer.

Regardless, even if the proposal passes as soon as next week, this government will most certainly not last very long. The 5-Star Movement and the Northern League have very different political agendas at heart, and a divorce even before the first year anniversary of this marriage cannot be excluded, after all, from 1993 until today Italy had 13 administration averaging a new one every 23 months. It is very unlikely that this administration could beat the benchmark.

Spread between BTPs and 10-year German bunds (source: Bloomberg):

Quarterly Outlook

01 /

  • Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    Quarterly Outlook

    Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    The Fed started the US rate cut cycle in Q3 and in this macro outlook we will explore how the rate c...
  • Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Quarterly Outlook

    Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Althea Spinozzi

    Head of Fixed Income Strategy

  • Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    Quarterly Outlook

    Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    After a period of historically high equity index concentration driven by the 'Magnificent Seven' sto...
  • FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    Quarterly Outlook

    FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

    As we enter the final quarter of 2024, currency markets are set for heightened turbulence due to US ...
  • Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

  • FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens

    Quarterly Outlook

    FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore the outlook for USD, AUD, NZD, and EM carry trades as risk-on currencies are set to outperfo...
  • Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again

    Quarterly Outlook

    Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore key trends and opportunities in European equities and electrification theme as market dynami...
  • Macro: Sandcastle economics

    Quarterly Outlook

    Macro: Sandcastle economics

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore the "two-lane economy," European equities, energy commodities, and the impact of US fiscal p...
  • Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises

    Quarterly Outlook

    Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises

    Althea Spinozzi

    Head of Fixed Income Strategy

    Discover strategies for managing bonds as US and European yields remain rangebound due to uncertain ...
  • Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

    Energy and grains to shine as metals pause. Discover key trends and market drivers for commodities i...

Disclaimer

The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.

Please read our disclaimers:
Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)

Saxo Bank A/S (Headquarters)
Philip Heymans Alle 15
2900
Hellerup
Denmark

Contact Saxo

Select region

International
International

Trade responsibly
All trading carries risk. Read more. To help you understand the risks involved we have put together a series of Key Information Documents (KIDs) highlighting the risks and rewards related to each product. Read more

This website can be accessed worldwide however the information on the website is related to Saxo Bank A/S and is not specific to any entity of Saxo Bank Group. All clients will directly engage with Saxo Bank A/S and all client agreements will be entered into with Saxo Bank A/S and thus governed by Danish Law.

Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the US and other countries and regions. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.