If the return of the federalist theme is the hottest and most divisive topic, the acronym of the moment is Lep.
The “essential levels of performance” are also the cross (and potential delight) of the differentiated autonomy that became law two days ago in the Chamber. To the joy of the League and the disgrace of the opposition with short memories: the autonomy launched two days ago is the “daughter” of the reform of Title V of the 2001 Constitution, desired by Massimo D’Alema and launched by Giuliano Amato’s government. And to be honest, already in 1993 the leader of the PDS Achille Occhetto was hypothesizing about implementing Title V in a federalist sense with his “little green book”.
But let’s go back to the Leps. On whose definition the success of autonomy will depend. Because of the 23 areas that the new law authorizes to transfer to the Regions, only 9 do not depend on the launch of the minimum levels. For all the others, in practice, the State will have to and has 24 months – to define the minimum standards that must be guaranteed throughout the national territory for services in the field of civil and social rights in the 14 subjects subject to potential negotiation for the strengthened autonomy. Standards, in fact, which must be guaranteed everywhere, even in the Regions that have no intention of requesting the transfer of those areas. The delicate point is that, in addition to setting these levels, the State must also ensure financial coverage, identifying the resources necessary to implement them.
Curiously, an essential sector such as health “slips away” from the system. But only because the Lea equivalents already exist in that field, the essential levels of assistance that must be guaranteed in healthcare, from South to North.
The Clep, the Committee led by the jurist Sabino Cassese responsible for identifying them, got to work on the Lep, already foreseen by the 2001 reform but which remained unimplemented, and at the end of the year delivered its report to the Minister for Regional Affairs. and the autonomies Roberto Calderoli. Now he has the ball, with his control room which will have to determine the essential levels of performance in terms of civil and social rights. The Cassese commission identified 237. The new law now delegates the executive to determine those Lep within 24 months of the entry into force of the reform.
For critics, the risk is the increase in inequalities. In order not to put a strain on the wallet, the State could identify the LEPs based on the current levels of performance in terms of civil and social rights. To clarify, if in schools the average number of pupils is 26 per class, rather than aiming for an improvement (which would translate into new investments and greater expenses) the Lep could limit itself to photographing what already exists. And then it would be the individual Regions that requested the transfer of functions, if anything, that would aim for more virtuous goals.
Right here, however, there is an opportunity also for less wealthy regions. Who could try to redeem themselves by asking for the transfer of functions and resources, and above all by exploiting the driving force of the Pnrr. Which, coincidentally, according to the latest Svimez report has pushed the South more than anyone else: in 2023 +1.3 percent of GDP (against a national average of 0.9 percent) and +2.6 percent of employed, growth record against a national figure that stops at 1.8.
Here, perhaps the Southern Governors who today raise the fear that the transfer of resources and skills towards the rich regions of the North opens the way to a “secession of the rich” and
who see differentiated autonomy only as a problem, could take advantage of the assistance. And also the “provocation” of Salvini, who spoke of a great opportunity for the South, because “those who are capable have nothing to fear”.
