The survey, Italians skeptical about the outcome of the Pnrr. For 49% they will not relaunch the country – Corriere.it

The Pnrr represents an extraordinary opportunity for Italy to address the country’s structural problems, initiate profound reforms and encourage a growth process. It is a plan that looks to the future, to the construction of Italy over the next 10-15 years, making it emerge from that sort of permanent presentism that has characterized the last two decades, in which the main political choices have been based on the here and now now, often looking for immediate consensus, confirming the famous aphorism according to which a politician looks to the next elections; a statesman to the next generation. Despite the great importance it has, to date the Pnrr is very little known, just think that only 12% declare that they know it in depth and 44% know it only partially, while 28% have only heard of it and 16% % completely ignores what of traits.

After detailing the six missions into which the plan is articulated, in today’s survey the people interviewed were asked to indicate the two missions judged to be most important: the theme of health clearly prevails (cited by 50%) supported by the expectation of a strengthening of the territorial network of medicine and modernization of the technological equipment of the National Health Service; this is a predictable result, after the collective trauma of the pandemic that has put a strain on our healthcare system. It is no coincidence that, albeit with different emphases, this mission represents everyone’s priority, regardless of socio-demographic characteristics, voting orientation and level of knowledge of the Pnrr. Next we find the green revolution and the ecological transition (27%) and, a short distance away, education and scientific research (24%), then social and territorial inclusion and cohesion (20%), infrastructure for sustainable mobility (19%) and, lastly, the very complex chapter concerning digitalisation, innovation, competitiveness and culture (14%).

Overall, however, a fair skepticism emerges on the possibility that the Pnrr could solve the structural problems and favor the economic recovery of the country: one Italian out of two expresses little (36%) or no (13%) confidence in this regard, against only one in three who has a lot (4% ) or enough (31%). And a small share (3%) expects that more than 90% of the projects contained in the plan will be implemented, while the relative majority (36%) is convinced that we will not reach 60%. The reasons for skepticism are quite complex: one in four (27%) believes that in Italy we are not capable of making projects that are actually feasible, one in five (21%) questions the government’s capabilities (the percentage rises to 43 % among voters of the Democratic Party and the M5s), while 13% doubt the ability of municipalities and mayors to put projects on the ground and 12% attribute the possible flop to the lack of courage of politicians worried about losing consensus for the unpopularity of some reforms. It is therefore not surprising that the majority expect changes to be made with respect to the original plan presented by the Draghi government and approved by the EU. Of this opinion are above all the voters of the centre-right.

The European Union with a happy intuition named the post-pandemic recovery plan Next generation Eu, to underline its primary purpose, namely the construction of the future of the beneficiary countries. Someone has compared the Pnrr to the Marshall Plan which allowed the reconstruction of Europe after the Second World War. However, to date the Pnrr is little known, it does not fascinate and raises doubts about the possibilities of realisation. But without the popular consensus it seems very difficult for the plan to advance: it should not be forgotten that the implementation of the reforms, which we are required to obtain European funding, could be complicated by the unavailability to change of many citizens who do not intend to give up to one’s own habits or to acquired rights. And in the background there appears the risk that some politicians, in the permanent search for consensus, could smooth out the perplexities and doubts of public opinion, by opposing or holding back the reform programme.

How does it come out? How could you help the mobilization of citizens? Perhaps by trying to explain the plan, not so much in the technical and regulatory aspects, but rather by evoking which country we will have if we are able to fully implement it: an Italy with a demographic recovery, with constant economic growth, with less inequality, more sustainable in environmental and social terms, with more infrastructure, with greater individual and collective well-being. In short, a better country for future generations. History teaches us that only by outlining the goal, the final destination, do citizens show themselves willing to accept changes and renunciations. But whoever is called to narrate must be credible and have more the profile of a statesman than that of a politician.