Welfare, six out of ten Italians need radical reform but only 15% accept generalised cuts

A radical reform of the welfare but without generalised cuts. For six out of ten Italians (61%, up 8 percentage points from last year), radical reforms are needed to cope with the aging population that will put a strain on social security and healthcare systems. However, only 15% imagine generalised cuts and reductions to make the system sustainable, 46% think of reforms with cuts only for the privileged, guaranteeing minimum welfare for all. A 35%, on the other hand, (down 8 percentage points on 2024) think that more investments by the State and a rationalisation of costs are needed. This is what emerges from the FragilItalia Report "Welfare of the future and the role of cooperatives", produced by the Legacoop Research Area in collaboration with Ipsos, based on the results of a survey carried out on a representative sample of Italian society (800 cases, aged 18 and over) to test their opinions on the subject.

The report also ranks the challenges facing the public protection system in the coming years. In the top three places are the ageing of the population (42%, minus one point on 2024), prevention and health promotion (40%, minus 10 points), social inequalities (37%, minus three points). This is followed by policies to support people to cope with temporary difficulties or social risks (27%, minus seven points), financial sustainability (again at 27%, but with an even more conspicuous drop of 10 points), changes in the labour market (26%, minus seven points) and integration between social, health, education and labour services (at 25%, with the steepest drop, 11 points less).

But what are the priorities that should inspire interventions for the welfare of the future and social support policies? In first place (88% of indications) is the need to rethink policies for young people, investing in education, training and job placement, in order to give them stable prospects and facilitate their transition to adult and family life. They are followed, all with 85% of indications: to invest in prevention and health promotion, to reduce health costs in the long term; to increase women's participation in work, strengthening the capacity to provide support services and effective reconciliation policies; to build a greater integration of social, health, educational and labour services, to improve individual and collective well-being.

A chapter of the report is dedicated to the opinions of Italians on the management methods of the welfare of the future. 40% of those interviewed believe that the welfare of the future should be managed in collaboration between the State and public bodies with cooperatives and non-profit organisations, while 28% opt for management by the State alone. 26% say they prefer management in collaboration between the state and public bodies with private capitalist enterprises. 68% of respondents believe that cooperatives can play an important role in the development of the welfare of the future. In particular, among the areas of greatest contribution for cooperatives, 34% indicate the integration of social, health and educational services; 28% support policies for people facing temporary life difficulties or social risks. This is followed, all with 27% of indications, by the creation of service networks closer to families and individuals, social inequalities, and policies for young people. "What emerges is a readiness for collaborative intervention between public and private entities, especially private social ones. An indication that makes recognition and adequate remuneration of care and assistance work indispensable,' notes Simone Gamberini, president of Legacoop.