Deal between coalition and Left marked by welfare-oriented measures

While the framework cooperation agreement, which led to the Left indirectly backing the appointment of the new cabinet last September, will remain only initialled for now, the plan for 2019 is proceeding from initials to signatures as a key vote on the 2019 budget is due on Wednesday.

The list of measures, rooted in the general coalition agreement that also bears some marks of the Left, includes several that will also be managed by the opposition party, among them measures related to precarious labour, housing, healthcare and corporate taxation.

The party, which can add nine votes to the coalition's 43 in the 90-member National Assembly, for instance wants to phase out special agencies acting as intermediates for student work, tackle the outsourcing of work from the public sector, reduce the share of agency work at companies, and secure sickness benefits for those...