"We have already allocated more than 35 billion euros and are adding another 10 billion as part of this aid package… A total 45 billion has been disbursed to protect the middle and working classes in the face of a rise in the cost of living, energy and food," he said.
The newly adopted assistance program includes scrapping the value-added tax on such staple foods as bread and milk. VAT on oil and pasta will be reduced from 10% to 5%.
Electricity and gas rebates will be extended for another six months, while rent increases will be capped at 2% until the end of the year. Landlords will also be prohibited from evicting vulnerable families.
15 December 2022, 18:19 GMT
Households earning less than 27,000 euros a year will be eligible for 200 euros in assistance funding next year. The government estimates that some 4.2 million families will benefit from this one-off payment from January 1.