Sardinia has more pensions than jobs. And a record number of workers over 55.
Negative balances in all provinces except Cagliari. Cgia warns: "Economic and social stability at risk."
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In the South and on the islands, the number of pensions paid out significantly exceeds the number of workers. This is according to a report prepared by the CGIA Research Center in Mestre , based on 2024 data.
The report highlights that in Southern Italy, while 7.3 million pensions are paid, just over 6.4 million people are employed . The region with the most marked disparity is Puglia, with a negative balance of 231,700. Sardinia is no exception, with 655,506 pensions paid and 591,938 people employed, resulting in a negative balance of 63,568.
With the exception of Liguria, Umbria, and Marche, the regions of Central and Northern Italy maintain a positive balance, which has strengthened thanks to the strong employment trend over the last two to three years. The difference between active taxpayers (workers) and pensions paid to pensioners, again in 2024, stands out for Lombardy (+803,180), Veneto (+395,338), Lazio (+377,868), Emilia Romagna (+227,710), and Tuscany (+184,266).
Of the 107 Italian provinces monitored by Cgia, only 59 show a positive balance: among these is Cagliari (+14,014, from the difference between the 171,330 employed and the 157,316 pension recipients).
All the other provinces of Sardinia, however, show a negative balance : Sassari -6,611 (189,362 pensions, 182,751 employed), Oristano -16,002 (71,260 pensions – 55,258 employed), Nuoro -21,801 (91,173 pensions – 69,372 employed), South Sardinia -33,168 (146,395 pensions - 113,227 employed).
The CGIA report also notes that Sardinia, after Basilicata, is the region with the highest seniority rate among private sector employees, at 82.2: this means that for every 100 employees under 35, there are 82 who are over 55.
"With ever-increasing retirees and a workforce expected to remain stable," concludes the Mestre-based CGIA, "public spending is set to grow in the coming years. And in the short term, these trends could jeopardize the balance of public finances and Italy's economic and social stability."
According to the artisans' confederation, to curb this trend, it is essential to "expand the employment base, bringing to light the many undeclared workers in the country, and, in particular, increasing the employment rates of young people and women, which in Italy remain among the lowest in Europe."
"In the short term," the CGIA further emphasizes, "unfortunately, the situation is set to worsen , even in Central and Northern Italy. Between 2025 and 2029, it is estimated that just over 3 million Italians will leave their jobs. Of these, 2,244,700 (approximately 74% of the total) will be people working in the Central and Northern regions. Within a few years, there will be a veritable "flight" from desks and assembly lines, with millions of people transitioning from the workforce to inactivity, with historic social, economic, and employment consequences for Italy. Entrepreneurs know this well, as they are already struggling to find staff willing to go to factories or construction sites. Imagine what will happen in a few years."
