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Italian Senate Finalizes Corte dei Conti Overhaul, Capping Liability and Expanding Preventive Control

Opponents say the measure weakens safeguards on public spending and shifts risk from officials to taxpayers.

Overview

  • The Senate approved the Foti bill with 93 votes in favor, 51 against and 5 abstentions, accelerating the vote before the December 31 expiry of the existing erarial shield.
  • The law caps compensation owed by public administrators for state damage at a maximum of 30% of the assessed loss or two years of salary, significantly reducing potential recoveries in cases of grave fault.
  • Preventive oversight is broadened with a request-based review that triggers a 30‑day deadline after which silence-assenso exempts the requester from liability, with above-threshold PNRR contracts flagged for legitimacy checks subject to the same timing.
  • The Association of Magistrates of the Corte dei Conti condemned the law as a "dark page," and opposition parties warned of de-responsibilization, fewer erarial prosecutions, and a likely overload of requests leading to routine silence-assenso.
  • The government defends the reform as a remedy to the "fear of signing" and denies any vendetta over recent court rulings, as further organizational changes to the Court will be set by delegated decrees.