Outgoing Italian PM Assures Workers Of Benefits

Outgoing Italian Premier Mario Draghi told trade unions on Wednesday that his government would keep working to help the Italian households and businesses cope amid the cost-of-living crisis until its last day in office, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

Photo Insert: Outgoing Italian Premier Mario Draghi speaking at the G7 meeting in Germany

Parliament has been dissolved for snap elections on September 25 after the ruling coalition fell apart last week but Draghi's government will remain n power until a new administration is sworn in.

"I confirm the government's intention not to abandon workers, pensioners, firms," Draghi told several of his ministers and representatives of the CGIL, CISL, and UIL unions. CGIL leader Maurizio Landini expressed satisfaction at Wednesday's meeting.

"The encounter produced some initial responses that go in the direction we asked for. I think it's the right road," he added. UIL leader Luigi Sbarra said the state may bring forward index-linked State pension increases scheduled for January.

Earlier, the government said it was considering scrapping the value-added (VAT) on bread and pasta and lowering it from 10% to 5% on meat and fish to help people cope with the cost-of-living crisis, Deputy Economy Minister Laura Castelli said on Monday, July 25, ANSA also reported.

Italy is also bothered by a shortfall of 4,200 emergency room (ER) doctors, the Italian Society of Urgent/Emergency Medicine (SIMEU) said on Wednesday, July 27. It added that 600 doctors have quit in Italy this year amid rising pressure on casualty departments.

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