No Country for Young People

Young people in Italy face a structural crisis characterized by precarious employment, high poverty rates, and a lack of social housing, which prevents them from achieving independence. The document highlights that 11% of young people aged 18-34 lived in absolute poverty in 2021, and the average age for leaving the parental home is 29.9 years. This economic instability is compounded by a political class that the author argues ignores youth needs, leading to high electoral abstention and a vacuum filled by right-wing rhetoric. The resulting insecurity is linked to deteriorating mental health, including anxious-depression and social isolation.

• Young people in Italy experience severe economic instability, with 11.2% of workers aged 20-29 living below the relative poverty line in 2020 (earning less than 10,519 euros per year), a rate approximately two percentage points higher than the EU average. In 2021, absolute poverty among those aged 18-34 was 11%, affecting nearly 1.1 million individuals.
• The Italian labor market for youth is characterized by underpayment and insecurity; a 2021 survey of 960 people aged 18-35 found that one third were unemployed for over 40% of their time five years after studying, and a majority earned less than 10,000 euros annually.
• Italy is one of five EU countries without a legally established minimum wage, relying instead on collective bargaining which is not mandatory and fails to cover all sectors, leaving many workers without protections.
• The 2014 Jobs Act intended to increase flexibility but has resulted in a proliferation of fixed-term contracts; 90% of new monthly hires are on fixed-term contracts, and 'extra-curricular' internships are frequently used for essential work rather than training.
• Housing autonomy is severely limited by low wages and high costs; the average age for leaving the parental home in Italy is 29.9, compared to 26.5 in the EU. An Italian household requires over 13,000 euros annually to rent a two-bedroom apartment, and only 3.8% of Italian housing is dedicated to social housing.
• Economic precarity has led to political alienation and a shift in housing culture; 62% of 5,000 surveyed young people aged 16-19 would consider co-living spaces due to affordability. This disillusionment contributed to a 40% abstention rate among 25-34 year olds in the September 2022 elections.
• The lack of stable employment and social security is causing a mental health crisis among under-35s, manifesting as anxious-depression, boredom, apathy, and isolation, as work is essential for building personal and social identity.

APA

Toniolo, A. (2022). No Country for Young People. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/no-country-for-young-people/

Chicago

Toniolo, Anna. No Country for Young People. Green European Journal, 2022. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/no-country-for-young-people/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Toniolo |first1=Anna |title=No Country for Young People |publisher=Green European Journal |date=30 November 2022 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/no-country-for-young-people/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{toniolo2022country, author = {Toniolo, Anna}, title = {{No Country for Young People}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/no-country-for-young-people/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }