Beyond iniquity
by Francesco Logo and Mario Del Vecchio, Cergas SDA Bocconi
Translated by Alex Foti
Italy is one of the countries with the lowest birth rates in the world (1.2 children per woman; a rate of 2.2 would be needed to keep the population stable) and one with the highest life expectancies. In 2019, Italy had 25.9 million people in employment and 13.8 million retirees. ISTAT, the Italian national statistical agency, predicts 22 million workers and 19 million retirees by 2039, a relationship that is not sustainable from a social, economic and political point of view. The repercussions fall squarely on the Italian National Health Service (SSN), with an inevitable and progressive reduction of the tax base – and therefore of public resources available for spending – combined increasing needs due to aging.