Italian budget 'to include basic income' pledge

MILAN (AP) — Italy's economy minister says the first budget of the new Italian government will include a basic income scheme sought by one of the governing parties, the 5-Star Movement.

Giovanni Tria said Wednesday that the scheme would "help manage the social consequences of the transformation process of production."

Tria, who is unaffiliated with either governing party, is under pressure to come up with a draft budget that maintains commitments as part of Italy's membership of the eurozone, but that also makes good on the two parties' electoral pledges. The draft is due Thursday.

While the 5-Star Movement promised a basic income for poor Italians, the League campaigned on a pledge to introduce a flat tax.

Both have agreed to deep the budget deficit below the eurozone's 3 percent of GDP rule.