On Wednesday morning, a split within Italy’s right-wing coalition led to an unexpected defeat for Giorgia Meloni’s government in the Senate Budget Committee. The clash centered on a League-sponsored amendment to the fiscal decree, part of the budget law discussions, proposing to extend the reduction of the Rai license fee from €90 to €70 for 2025. While senators from the League and Brothers of Italy backed the amendment, Forza Italia sided with the center-left opposition, voting against it.
Although the vote doesn’t directly threaten the government’s stability, it highlights growing tensions within the coalition as it enters the critical phase of approving the 2024 budget. The dispute over the license fee reduction has been simmering for days. The Economy Minister, League member Giancarlo Giorgetti, had initially planned to restore the fee to €90 for 2025, contradicting his party’s position. Forza Italia opposed the extension of the fee reduction, citing its €400 million impact on public finances and its potential to increase Rai’s competition for advertising, indirectly affecting Mediaset, owned by the Berlusconi family.
Repeated delays and negotiations in the Budget Committee failed to yield a compromise, with Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani standing firm on opposing sides. Brothers of Italy supported the League’s initiative but without enthusiasm. After lengthy deliberations, Wednesday’s vote saw the coalition fracture, handing victory to the opposition and further straining relations among the right-wing parties.
