According to ISTAT overall unemployment in Italy currently weighs in at 11.7% while unofficial sources at Milan’s Ufficio di Collocamento “guesstimate” it’s closer to 20% (basing this figure on an average daily rate of 400 new applicants for unemployment benefits). Istat originally reported an unemployment rate of 11.2 percent in December.
The unemployment rate for people between the age of 15 and 24 rose to 38.7 percent in January, according to Istat.
I wonder what the Ufficio di Collocamento would have to say about this figure?
These are the highest rates in over 21 years.
See a related Bloomberg.com article here.
All this while the government is planning taxes and levies that businesses and households will have to shell out between May and December: TARES (the new garbage and community services tax), IMU (property tax), IRPEF (income tax), IRES (corporate tax). As the Corriere della Sera reports here a litany of doom: Tares, Imu, Irpef, Ires. Tares, Imu, Irpef, Ires.
Rainy days today and ahead, indeed.
Postcards from Italy---Natalia Sarkissian 
sooo sad
but Italy and Italians are resilient and resourceful…let’s hope it doesn’t last too long.
I will pray for that…. I want to visit some day soon
Well said! I only hope that this does not create a further outflow of youth…Italians are resilient and resourceful, but not by chance…the experience of history has been an important factor in creating the Italian national character…but you can only go so far before the camel’s back breaks… 😦