In ten years, Southern Italy has lost almost 500 thousand residents and the main ones are young. This is what emerges from Istat data in the latest annual report. No southern region seems to be excluded from this investigation, but if once those with the greatest number of migrations were mainly Sicily and Campania , today Sardinia is racing to reach them.
In fact, according to statistics , the region lost almost 35 thousand residents from 2019 to 2022 and today the average age is close to 50 years.
The reasons are varied, but among all the one that mainly emerges is the lack of real job opportunities and therefore the increasingly real risk of falling into poverty , which among other things throughout Italy today, especially food poverty, is reaching unprecedented peaks before .
Another important fact regarding the choice to move away from Sardinia is the lack of stimuli which, as soon as the summer season is over, seems to reign throughout the winter months.
Discos close, bars too. Cinemas sometimes stop showing films frequently and, especially in countries that live off tourism, all types of entertainment are halved .
This means that young people are increasingly inclined to move away from what until that day had always been considered home, to go to cities where the opportunities seem to be brighter.
Yes, it is true that thanks to new technologies , today, entertainment has also changed its use and, for example, virtual and interactive games or applications dedicated to online casinos have been developed, but these methods are not always enough to make up for a phenomenon as complex as the lack of entertainment in the winter months in regions such as Sardinia.
Which cities do young people move to?
With the cost of living continuing to increase, the migration of young people to other cities continues to increase, especially if we think that we find ourselves in an absolutely non-homogeneous situation .
For example, in Lombardy and Trentino Alto-Adige you earn more than elsewhere. Of course, it must also be taken into consideration that in these regions maintenance is also much more expensive than in other cities.
In any case, according to a survey, there are cities that, even in this uncertain situation , are able to offer greater opportunities than others.
The most frequently chosen cities
The winner above all is Milan . Now declared the economic capital of Italy and the hub of social life for young people, those who say they have moved to the Lombardy capital say they have found work quicker than they expected.
Rome follows shortly after, which, with its charm, offers many professional and entertainment opportunities. Anyone who decides to move to the capital will probably never leave again.
Piedmont is not missing with Turin which, especially in recent years, has undertaken a real revolution in terms of offer, completely transforming itself from the city it once was.
Naturally this city has always been one of the main destinations for the inhabitants of the south, but in recent times it has managed to renew itself by attracting more and more young people.
Finally, Bologna closes the list which, among other things, is also considered the city with the best quality of life in Italy.
What can Sardinia do to avoid losing young minds
All is not lost for Sardinia which, however, is a beautiful land that its inhabitants leave with no small regret.
However, there is certainly a real need for a change of direction so that the demographic curve can be reversed.
A first step would be to create an entertainment network even in the winter months , so as not only to offer young people a life similar to that of their peers in the North, but it could also be an opportunity to increase the possibility of work .
Whatever the actions, they could be summarized in plans aimed at young people, to give them a valid reason to stay, even the most ambitious .