The government has announced that the weight of public debt will rise by 11 billion this year to 139.8% of GDP by the end of 2026, more than 70 billion higher than predicted a year ago. It is a burden that jeopardizes the obligations established with fellow Union member states and, above all, poses the greatest threat of reducing social expenditures. One of the questions that economists and politicians discuss on a regular basis is how this load has accrued and who bears it. According to former Prime Minister Giuliano Amato, the debt has grown "because social spending was increased, albeit justifiably, during the 1970s while revenue remained unchanged." Answering important questions without making anyone pay for them is politically advantageous. But it creates a debt that will remain with us in the future". Another former prime minister, Romano Prodi, has something to say, and he disagrees with the portrayal of Italy's ever-increasing debt. "During my first government, from 1996 to 1998, the debt declined by six percentage points to 113.9% of GDP, while the second government, from 2006 to 2008, saw it fall to 104.6%. Much lower than what France has now, which is considered a stable country. This demonstrates that when it comes to debt, the positions of each politician can differ substantially”.
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