Italy's conservative bloc pledges to reduce taxes, immigration

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Italy's conservative bloc pledges to reduce taxes, immigration

Italy's conservative bloc will reduce taxes, crack down on immigration and scrap the current system of welfare benefits if it wins next month's election as expected, the group said in a joint manifesto.

The conservative alliance is dominated by two rightist parties, Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy and Matteo Salvini's League, flanked by the more moderate Forza Italia, led by 85-year-old former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

A 15 point joint programme released by the parties on Thursday, August 11, evening, contains little detail and mainly reiterates pledges made by the parties individually during the campaign for the Sep 25 election.

It promises lower taxes for families, firms and self-employed with a flat tax or single tax rate, on annual income of up to €100,000 for self-employed and any increase in income from one year to the next.

Tax cuts are an important rally cry for the Italian right, which argues that the boost to economic growth will offset any reduction in revenues.

The bloc promises to increase minimum pensions and expand scope for early retirement.

Italy's recovery plan of reforms that was presented to the European Union last year in exchange for some €200 billion US $205.80 billion of Pandemic relief funds will be amended due to the changes in conditions, needs and priorities, according to the programme.

It didn't specify what it wanted to change.