Citizenship income was the cornerstone of the Five Star Movement 's electoral campaign and is at the center of the debate, especially after its victory in the general election. Di Maio and Grillo clearly understood that one of the immediate needs of Italians was to feel protected and supported by the state, and they sensed that focusing on this would bring them significant popular support. One of the catchy phrases used during their electoral campaign was: " We are one of the few European countries that still doesn't have a citizen's income ." Before examining the Five Star Movement's proposal, let's understand how this tool is being used in the rest of Europe.
Citizenship income or guaranteed minimum?
But first, let's clarify a few things. We need to distinguish between citizen's income and guaranteed minimum incomeThe first is universal in nature, meaning it is not subject to any restrictions and is guaranteed to everyone, regardless of income; what the 5 Star Movement is proposing and what is widespread in Europe, however, is called a guaranteed minimum income. This is selective, is intended only for those who are unemployed or receives a salary below the poverty line and is subject to certain conditions. The Without Newspapers has drawn up a list of the various countries that use it, describing its main characteristics. Denmark It is the European country with the richest subsidy: a single person over 25 could receive up to 1325 euros. Furthermore, like Germany and Belgium and unlike other countries, those who ask to receive financial support must actively seek work, but they can refuse it if it is not found consistent with one's skills. In Germany The minimum income is divided into four main points: support for subsistence, i.e. an allowance for pensioners and those with reduced working capacity, a subsidy to pay rent and an allowance for the disabled and pregnant women. English model, on the other hand, is very rigid and severe: in order to access the income one is subjected to a "means test", that is, to verify whether the person applying for the benefit has the characteristics required by the regulation, one of which is being below the poverty line. FranceHowever, it is essential to have resided in the country for more than five years, be over 25 or younger but have a dependent child. A single person can receive 460 euros per month, while a family with two children can receive almost 1000. To obtain the benefit, applicants must demonstrate that they are actively seeking work and participating in training programs.
Subsidies around the world
The Ireland It is one of the most generous countries in terms of subsidies: if a beneficiary finds work he continues to receive the benefit even for several months afterwards and thanks to the "Back to study allowance"those who have financial difficulties and want to resume their studies receive income support. The special feature, however, goes to theNetherlands which in addition to the guaranteed minimum income, which provides 617 euros for individuals and 1.234 for married couples, has granted a subsidy for artists with the aim of ensuring an economic base for those who want to build a career as an artistIf we try to go beyond the European context and look further afield, we see that there are other countries in the world that use economic subsidies to fight poverty. According to the Global Basic Income Foundation the only country that provides for the famous citizen's income, so acclaimed in Italy, is theAlaska; the government, in fact, distributes 25% of the oil revenues to all citizens who have been resident for at least one year. The subsidy granted by the Brazil, "la Bolsa Familia" (the Family Bank), whose primary goal is to improve the lives of the country's poorest members. Thanks to this measure, data from the Central Bank show that the percentage of people living below the poverty line in Brazil has increased from 42,84% in 2003 to 27,60% in 2011.
How the guaranteed minimum income works
Now we can focus on what, perhaps, interests readers most, that is the measure against the poverty Proposed by the Five Star Movement. From their official blog, we can read the main features of the Five Star Movement's guaranteed minimum income. To obtain the income, certain prerequisites must be met, and to maintain it, certain behaviors must be followed. The requirements, as stated on the blog, are:
be over 18 years old;
- to be unemployed o unemployed;
– perceive a working income below the poverty line;
– perceive a pension below the poverty line.
Subsequently, to maintain this benefit, you must:
register at job centers;
– start a path of accompaniment at work;
– offer your availability for municipal projects useful to the community;
- frequent professional qualification courses;
– carry out a looking for work for at least two hours a day;
– communicate any change in one's income;
accept one of the first three jobs that are offered.
Instead, those who already have a job but are underpaid will be able to receive an income supplement ; the law provides for a contractual minimum wage. The guaranteed minimum income also provides incentives for companies to hire those receiving the minimum income.
Political fiction?
There's no doubt that this is a laudable proposal, although many have legitimately wondered how it could be implemented, or rather, how the Five Star Movement plans to fund it. Their blog also states that the necessary funds will not come from schools, hospitals, or additional taxes, but rather from gambling , banks , and cuts to political spending . I don't have the expertise to determine whether this is possible, and it's not the primary objective of this article, but one thing is certain: a good percentage of the citizens who voted for Di Maio expect the promise of a "citizen's income" to be kept should he become Prime Minister; otherwise, there will be no excuse. After all, this is the risk a political force runs if it decides to base its election campaign on a single focal point, as the Five Star Movement did with "citizen's income." I fear phrases like "it's someone else's fault we didn't succeed" rather than "we've done so many other good things" will be of no use.
Giulia Borsetto
