In the regions of Southern Italy, including Sardinia, the number of pensioners is increasing, and their number has now exceeded that of people active in the labor market.
This is what we read in a study by Cgia di Mestre, which raises the alarm on a situation that in the coming years could have serious repercussions on the economic, regional and national system.
According to the report, on the Island – as well as in Sicily, Puglia, Campania and Calabria – there are many more pensioners than employed people. Precisely (data referring to 2022): 649 thousand people receive a pension check, while "only" 566 thousand are active in the world of work receiving a salary. A difference of 83 thousand units that places the pensioner-employed "balance" of Sardinia in fifth-last place at national level.
SARDINIAN DATA – Looking at the data by province, only in Cagliari is the balance positive and leans towards the employed, who are 163 thousand against 153 thousand pensioners.
In the other provinces, however, those who are unemployed and receive a pension prevail in number. Scrolling through the ranking of the "balance" of the 107 provinces taken into consideration by Cgia we find Sassari in 82nd place (188 thousand pensioners-171 thousand employed), Oristano in 85th place (71 thousand pensioners-50 thousand employed), Nuoro in 88th place (91 thousand pensioners-70 thousand employed) and Southern Sardinia in 98th place (146 thousand pensioners-112 thousand employed, with a difference of 34 thousand units).
NATIONAL DATA – In first place in the national ranking is Lombardy (with almost 3.7 million pensioners and over 4.4 million employed), followed by Veneto and Lazio, with a positive balance of +342 thousand and +310 thousand respectively.
Sicily, on the other hand, is at the bottom of the list, with 1.6 million pensioners versus 1.3 million workers.
SYSTEM AT RISK – "It is clear – the Cgia report highlights – given the serious demographic crisis underway, that we will hardly be able to replace all these workers who will no longer be required to punch a time clock every day. In this way, the checks paid by INPS are destined to exceed the paychecks of the workers and employees employed in our factories and offices, even in the geographical areas of the Center and the North, thus putting at risk the economic sustainability of our health and social security system".
"With so many pensioners and few workers and employees - it is explained - public spending can only increase, while tax revenues are destined to fall. This trend, in a few years, will undermine the balance of our public accounts. To reverse the trend we must increase the number of employed people, bringing out undeclared workers and increasing the employment rates of young people and women, which in Italy continue to remain the lowest in Europe".
THE CONSEQUENCES – «A country with an increasingly older population – the Cgia report continues – could have serious problems balancing public finances and maintaining the levels of wealth achieved up to now in the coming decades; in particular due to the increase in spending on health, pensions, pharmaceuticals and personal assistance. It should also be noted that with a widespread presence of over 65s, some important economic sectors could suffer negative repercussions. With a much lower propensity to spend than the young population, a society made up mainly of elderly people risks reducing the turnover of the real estate, transport, fashion and hospitality markets».
On the other hand, Cgia concludes, «banks could count on some positive effects; with a greater predisposition to saving, older people should increase the economic size of their deposits, making credit institutions happy».
