Rome — Opposition parties have accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government of descending into “chaos” over the 2026 budget bill after controversial amendments threatened the legislative process. The executive is racing to secure parliamentary approval before the end of the year.
Tensions erupted over a package of pension-related changes, including provisions affecting early retirement and how periods of university study count towards national insurance contributions. One of the most contentious budget bill amendments — concerning when people who bought back university years for contributory purposes might retire — was scrapped after widespread criticism.
Another amendment, which would have altered the time lag between when a person qualifies for early retirement and when their state pension actually begins, provoked fierce opposition from within the ruling coalition itself, particularly from the League, the party of Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti.
The pension debate has been compounded by further reforms in the budget draft. A recent government amendment eliminates the option for early old-age retirement by cumulating supplementary pension funds, a measure introduced in last year’s budget and now expected to save up to €130.8 million by 2035.
The removal of this provision sparked criticism from MPs across the political spectrum and added to the sense of disarray as budget negotiations stretch into the final days of the year.
Opposition say government has broken election promises
Opposition leader Elly Schlein of the Democratic Party said the past week’s developments were “unacceptable,” alleging that Meloni’s government has broken its electoral promises on pensions and is heading towards operating under a provisional budget.
Earlier in the autumn, unions and public sector workers staged national strikes against the draft budget, accusing the government of prioritising cuts to services and spending on defence over workers’ rights and wages.
The League’s resistance to some pension measures has further complicated the government’s position. Internal disagreements, particularly around provisions such as the automatic enrolment to private pension schemes proposed for 2026, have forced repeated revisions of the bill in the Senate Budget Committee.
With just days left to approve the 2026 budget before year-end deadlines, the latest round of amendments has underscored deeper fault lines within the governing coalition.
