Mattarella issues a warning about young people: it is petty to underestimate their unease

In the wake of the decree tightening penalties for offences committed by minors, Sergio Mattarella – who, whilst condemning the violence at the demonstrations at the time – has today called on people not to underestimate the discontent felt by young people and, indeed, to take responsibility for it as a society and as institutions. The occasion is the ceremony to award the ‘Cavalieri del Lavoro’ honours; also present are the ‘Alfieri della Repubblica’, young school leavers who have excelled in their studies and are about to embark on university life.

The President of the Republic devotes a large part of his speech specifically to young people, beginning with the issue of emigration: “a serious burden for our country” which must be addressed by making it attractive for them to return, because “many would gladly come back if they were offered a career path and way of life that would allow them to fulfil their potential”. Mattarella’s conviction is that “society cannot treat young people with indifference or, worse still, with petty disparagement. This is a social issue. A priority that must involve relevant institutions and all sectors of society”. This is the in-depth analysis that the Head of State had called for in the wake of the demonstrations, referring to “unprecedented protagonists”. “We need a broad perspective,” insists Mattarella, “in addressing the unease, the sense of insecurity about the future that young people often feel, and the fear of subjugation or marginalisation. All the more so in these tumultuous and uncertain times.”

The President outlines the complex situation in which societies find themselves today – amidst wars, rising energy prices, inflation and uncertainty about the future – and sounds yet another warning against “the so-called tycoons, who flout the rules of the community with absurd and unacceptable demands in key sectors of international life”. He draws on the teachings of Luigi Einaudi, “a liberal through and through”, who, even before becoming Head of State, had already warned the Constituent Assembly of the risks posed by monopolies: “The future first President of the Republic, elected by Parliament, observed that monopolies are responsible for unemployment and inequality, identifying them as ‘the deepest and truest source of social ills’”, recalls Mattarella. “Control of monopolies” is therefore “freedom”, and this is what EU regulations are for. The much-maligned Europe, which alone, the Head of State insists, can help a country like Italia that has so many vulnerabilities: “energy costs, inflation, low wages, and the overall productivity deficit”.

“Europe is culture, conscience and ideals, and it is fuelled by the forces that drive it from within societies and economies”, as the businesses that fuel this process are well aware. His call, therefore, is to have “the courage to innovate”. This is not the time for retreat, for turning in on oneself, or for nostalgia for ‘the good old days’ that cannot return – assuming they ever actually existed,” concludes Mattarella, reminding everyone – businesses and institutions alike – that “social protection and welfare are an essential part of development: inclusion is a decisive ally of growth, not an unproductive cost”.