Italy scraps state funding for political parties Friday Dec 13,2013

 

Italy's cabinet passed an emergency decree on Friday to phase out state financing of political parties in response to public anger over the cost of the country's electoral apparatus.

Legislation to abolish state funding was presented by Prime Minister Enrico Letta's government in May, but the bill got bogged down in parliamentary bickering, fuelling the perception that the parties really wanted to preserve the status quo.
The decree, which must be approved by parliament within 60 days or it will expire, reiterates the original proposal to gradually replace the current system with financing by private citizens by 2017

The planned abolition will reduce current public financing by 40 % in the first year after the law is passed, 50 % in the second year and 60 % in the third. State financing would be fully phased out in the fourth year

Italian political parties will no longer be funded by the state and their accounts will be externally audited, under plans announced on Friday Dec 13,2013

The new system would avoid "the scandals of recent years", Prime Minister Enrico Letta said

 Prime Minister Enrico Letta said that the decree issued on Friday would fulfil an election pledge of his to abolish state funding for parties by the end of the year


Taxpayers will now be able to choose whether to fund a party
Under the new system, Italians will now have the option of earmarking 0.2% of their annual income tax to the party of their choice.
If they choose not to to fund a party, the money will go to the state