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Controversy over 8x1000. The Italian Bishops' Conference: 'We are disappointed, damaged Church'.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, expressed his 'disappointment at the government's decision to unilaterally change the purpose and method of allocating the 8 x mille pertaining to the State'.

by Rome Editorial Staff

4 June 2025

5' min read

Key points

Government Reply
Zuppi: "Disappointed by government choice"
Tajani, on 8x1000 to the Church the debate is open
The allocation of eight per thousand of Irpef revenue
Use of funds by the state and the Catholic Church
The gradual extension to other religious denominations
Law 157 of 2019

5' min read

The controversy over the 8 per thousand is heating up, with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, expressing his 'disappointment at the government's decision to unilaterally change the purpose and method of allocating the 8 per thousand pertaining to the State' from the capital of Bologna on Tuesday, 3 June. It is a choice, Zuppi added, 'that goes against the pactual reality of the agreement itself, objectively distorting its logic and functioning, creating an inequality that harms both the Catholic Church and the other religious denominations that have signed agreements with the State'.

The Government's Reply

But in the evening came a reply from government sources in which it was clarified that in fact only a sixth purpose had been set. "The amendment to Article 47 of Law 222/85 was introduced by the parliamentary majority," it was clarified by sources close to Palazzo Chigi, which supported the Conte 2 government, with Law No. 157, which converted dl 124 of 26/10/2019. It introduced the possibility for the taxpayer to be able to choose directly, when choosing the 8x1000 to the State, which of the five types of intervention to allocate their contribution to. In 2023, the Meloni government simply inserted a sixth purpose in order to be able to support communities for recovery from drug addiction and other pathological addictions'.

Zuppi: 'Disappointed by the government's choice'

From Bologna, however, Zuppi, as reported by Sir, was keen to recall 'that this source of resources allows us to be close to people's needs and to those we feel are closest to our concerns: the fight against poverty, education, the many emergencies in Italy and around the world'. These,' he stressed, 'are an important part of our effort, for everyone. However, we remain confident - it is not just because it is the Jubilee of Hope, but we are convinced - in the settlement of the dispute, respecting the very purposes for which the 8x1000 mechanism was set up and which cannot be changed, except by mutual agreement," Zuppi further observed, who in any case was keen to reiterate "the disappointment of the government's choice".

Iv leader Matteo Renzi was harsh, for whom 'the government's choice to go against the Italian Episcopal Conference and the Catholic Church on the 8 per thousand is the umpteenth demonstration of an arrogant way of conceiving institutions that is deaf to confrontation. To take away from the Catholic Church what it is entitled to by virtue of the Concordat and to do so because perhaps one does not share the position of the Italian Bishops' Conference on migrants is yet another headbutt by the Meloni-Mantovano duo'. Condemnation also from Senator Enrico Borghi, also from Italia Viva, who speaks of the government's 'dirigiste and statist decision to change the 8 per thousand for the Catholic Church and other denominations', and at this point 'it only betrays once again the intolerant face of every expression of organisational freedom, subsidiarity and the autonomy of intermediate bodies'.

Tajani, on 8x1000 to the Church the debate is open

On the change to the rules for the 8x1000 "nothing strange has happened: a part is destined to the recovery communities for drug addicts, which are mostly run by Church representatives, so in substance there is no harm for the Church. It is an open debate, we are discussing this issue with the Church,' explained Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the Ping Pong programme on Rai Radio1. Tajani thus responded to the words of the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference. On the stance taken by Renzi, who had said that the government had chosen to go against the Italian Bishops' Conference and against the Catholic Church, Tajani replied: "Let's leave the words of the opposition alone. The Church does not need defenders, the Catholic Church and the Bishops' Conference speak for themselves'.

The allocation of the eight per thousand of Irpef revenue

Following the Agreement revising the Concordat concluded between the State and the Holy See in 1984, Law 222/85 (containing 'Dispositions on ecclesiastical institutions in Italy and for the support of Catholic clergy serving in dioceses'), established that as from 1990 a quota equal to eight per thousand of the proceeds of the tax on the income of natural persons, liquidated by the offices on the basis of the annual declarations, was destined, partly, for purposes of social interest or humanitarian character directly managed by the State and, partly, for purposes of a religious character directly managed by the Catholic Church (Article 47, second paragraph). The choice as to the actual destination of the eight per thousand resources is made by taxpayers when they submit their annual income tax return; in the event of choices not expressed by taxpayers, the destination is established in proportion to the choices expressed (Article 47, third paragraph).

The use of funds by the State and the Catholic Church

With regard to the use of the funds, the 1985 law (subsequently amended by Decree Law 105 of 2023) provides that the two quotas are to be used as follows: by the State, for extraordinary interventions for world hunger; natural disasters; assistance to refugees and unaccompanied foreign minors; conservation of cultural heritage; renovation, improvement, safety, earthquake-proofing and energy efficiency upgrading of publicly-owned buildings used for school education; (from 2023) for recovery from drug addiction and other pathological dependencies. The resources may instead be used by the Catholic Church, for the worship needs of the population, sustenance of the clergy, charitable interventions in favour of the national community or third world countries.

The gradual extension to other religious denominations

With subsequent regulatory interventions, the taxpayer's option was also extended in favour of other religious denominations: the Italian Union of Seventh Day Adventist Christian Churches, the Assemblies of God in Italy, the Waldensian Evangelical Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy, the Union of Italian Jewish Communities. As from the 2012 tax period, the taxpayers' choice includes the Holy Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy and Exarchate for Southern Europe, the Apostolic Church in Italy, the Italian Buddhist Union and the Italian Hinduist Union (Sanatana Dharma Samgha). As of tax year 2016, the taxpayers' choice was extended to the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai (IBISG) and, as of tax year 2021, also to the 'Church of England' Association. The allocation of resources received on the basis of taxpayers' choices is governed by the individual laws regulating relations with the Italian State.

Law 157 of 2019

Law 157/2019 then introduced significant changes on the management of the 8 per mille of Irpef, also with regard to the destination of the sums. In particular, new purposes for which state-managed 8 per mille funds can be used were provided for. These include assistance to unaccompanied foreign minors and refugees.

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