Italy already has Provision for Tax Amnesties Denounced by the Left as Irresponsible Populism

The tax amnesties proffered by the People of Liberty party have produced further paroxysms of outrage from the Democratic party and from Monti. 'No amnesties, never under the Democratic party' thundered Bersani, thumping the table like a true comrade.  Irresponsible, populism gone wild,  'You're driving up the spread' chorused the progressive elites.

"There are intuitive and well-founded reasons" for tax amnesties said the Procurator of the Court of Auditors, pulling out the righteousness rug from under them, included among which are a reduction in law suits and the possibility of gaining returns  quickly that can only be reached with difficulty.  Of course there are negative effects but these are often out-weighed.  Furthermore there are already norms and provisions for the offering of tax amnesties.

Salvatore Nottola, speaking at a press conference after the opening of the judicial year said he didn't want to get drawn into political controversies and had nothing to say about amnesties on illegal building.   So the round of condemnation from the Left and the Monti right presumably implies that the provisions for tax amnesties extant will be removed under either or both  administrations if they succeed in forming a government.

No wonder their vote is falling in the polls.  Still, if they can hang on until Saturday without further downturns the publication of polls will be forbidden under electoral law and they will be able to say what they like without a handy measure of their increasing unpopularity being all over the media.