Hot January for parliament and government. The Executive and Legislative Powers, which archived the economic maneuver with approval in the Senate on December 28, are preparing to restart work that promises the continuation of the tensions of recent days in terms of relations between the majority and the opposition.

There are definitely knots on the table that will require cross compromises to be resolved. The first major appointment will be made on January 20, along with the Constitutional Court’s decision on the admissibility of the referendum on the repeal of the differentiated autonomy law, an issue that will reignite deep conflicts both within the majority and among the opposition.

Four new judges of the Council will need to be appointed before this date. In fact, since 21 December the Tribunal has had the legal minimum number to render a decision, with eleven of the stipulated fifteen members. Postponing the election risks paralyzing its proceedings if even one of the judges is unwell with a cold (which is also common in winter…).

But here a significant obstacle arises: The election of judges requires a three-fifths qualified majority; This is a threshold that the centre-right cannot reach without the support of the opposition. All parties will therefore be asked to demonstrate maturity by demonstrating that they are capable of reaching a bipartisan agreement. It’s a path that looks uphill, given the blasé tones and increasing political polarization.

Everything is further complicated by the working schedule of the Assembly and the Senate, which are clogged due to the “traffic jam” of decrees awaiting approval or still being published in the Official Gazette, such as the Milleproroghe, Caivano bis decree, a new decree. The one about pnrr and weapons for Ukraine.

The shadow of possible divisions within the majority

Precisely the decree on armaments in Kiev – a commitment reiterated in recent days by both Prime Minister Meloni and Minister Crosetto – represents the risk of a split in the centre-right majority in light of growing critical voices within the Union ranks. There are no shortage of divisions on equally sensitive issues at the political and institutional level, such as justice reform and the separation of judges’ careers.

On January 8, when the Parliament votes on preliminary constitutional resolutions submitted by the opposition against the justice reform, it will become clear how much emphasis Judge Fratelli d’Italia, Lega, Forza Italia and the ever-expanding We Moderates patrol will take. It can close ranks. It probably won’t be a passage where some internal contradiction could explode, but instead could become unavoidable during the voting on amendments. The government’s stated goal is to approve the reform in Montecitorio by January.

Other fronts: Prime Ministry, election law, Court of Accounts

Another hot topic is the reform of the premiership, which Giorgia Meloni seems intent on bringing out of the freezer on the eve of many election appointments in 2024. It is necessary to clarify whether the majority – as always – makes a proposal that includes the revision of the electoral law, which is in any case necessary to give coherence to the project. Issues that excite Italians, but nothing captures the attention of all parliamentarians more than discussing the rules on which their potential re-election depends.

Another critical file is represented by the Court of Accounts bill, which aims to transform the Court of Accounts from essentially an auditing body into a body supporting public administrations. The main aim is to accelerate the implementation of PNRR. The text, which caused negative reactions among accounting judges and high-level government officials, attracted the attention of the Presidency.

Policymakers will return to dealing with this and more after New Year’s Eve, when those few days off will seem just a distant memory (including the many international crises and uncertainties in Europe in which Italy must play a role).