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Italy is still a country for old men Italy is still a country for old men
(about 1 hour later)
In February, when Matteo Renzi, at 39, became Italy's youngest ever prime minister, he promised to sling out the country's calcified gerontocracy and make space for young, unemployed Italians.In February, when Matteo Renzi, at 39, became Italy's youngest ever prime minister, he promised to sling out the country's calcified gerontocracy and make space for young, unemployed Italians.
Four months on, despite a planned shake-up of the jobs market, he still has it all to do as new, unadjusted data released on Tuesday put Italy's youth unemployment rate at 43.3%, rising to over 60% in the south of the country, far higher than the total national rate of 13.6%, which in turn is double the current UK rate of 6.8%. Four months on, despite a planned shake-up of the jobs market, he still has it all to do as new, unadjusted data released on Tuesday put Italy's youth unemployment rate at 46%, rising to over 60% in the south of the country, far higher than the total national rate of 13.6%, which in turn is double the current UK rate of 6.8%.
Nine in 10 of the young Italians who are lucky enough to find work are now being offered temporary contracts, so mortgages are hard to obtain and many – 38% of 25- to 29-year-olds – live at home, while their elders, if they are working, cling to their jobs for life, and to their pensions.Nine in 10 of the young Italians who are lucky enough to find work are now being offered temporary contracts, so mortgages are hard to obtain and many – 38% of 25- to 29-year-olds – live at home, while their elders, if they are working, cling to their jobs for life, and to their pensions.
The end result is that Italy is still, very definitely, a country for old men.The end result is that Italy is still, very definitely, a country for old men.
You get a sense of that watching state TV, where 1960s crooners get top billing on primetime shows, cheered on by perma-tanned presenters who do their close-ups in soft focus, the equivalent of Michael Parkinson and Cliff Richard continuing to hold sway on the BBC.You get a sense of that watching state TV, where 1960s crooners get top billing on primetime shows, cheered on by perma-tanned presenters who do their close-ups in soft focus, the equivalent of Michael Parkinson and Cliff Richard continuing to hold sway on the BBC.
What has changed in Italy is that the older generation is now less able to slide its children into jobs through contacts, informal networks and systems of favour trading, as Italy's resilient system of raccomandazione withers before a gruelling economic crisis that last year shut down 372,000 firms and shows no sign of letting up.What has changed in Italy is that the older generation is now less able to slide its children into jobs through contacts, informal networks and systems of favour trading, as Italy's resilient system of raccomandazione withers before a gruelling economic crisis that last year shut down 372,000 firms and shows no sign of letting up.
"We are creeping along the bottom. Let's not tell each other fairytales," said Giorgio Squinzi, head of the industrial employers' group, Confindustria, when the new job figures came out."We are creeping along the bottom. Let's not tell each other fairytales," said Giorgio Squinzi, head of the industrial employers' group, Confindustria, when the new job figures came out.
Italian parents, who traditionally did all they could to keep their children living close by after they left home, now obsess about their sons and daughters learning English so they can emigrate as soon as possible.Italian parents, who traditionally did all they could to keep their children living close by after they left home, now obsess about their sons and daughters learning English so they can emigrate as soon as possible.
With an estimated 100,000 Italians expected to leave the country this year, more and more London espresso bars will boast a young Italian graduate behind the till. As London strives to be more Italian, thousands of Italians are aspiring to be Londoners.With an estimated 100,000 Italians expected to leave the country this year, more and more London espresso bars will boast a young Italian graduate behind the till. As London strives to be more Italian, thousands of Italians are aspiring to be Londoners.
Back in places such as Bergamo, the traditional home to legions of industrious small manufacturing firms, kids were once told, "If you screw up at university, you can always work in a factory," But as the shutters come down across the region, even that option is less viable.Back in places such as Bergamo, the traditional home to legions of industrious small manufacturing firms, kids were once told, "If you screw up at university, you can always work in a factory," But as the shutters come down across the region, even that option is less viable.
And as they stay at home with no job, Italian twentysomethings are inevitably putting off having children, pushing down the country's birth rate to a historic low of 1.29 children last year – just 500,000 newborns.And as they stay at home with no job, Italian twentysomethings are inevitably putting off having children, pushing down the country's birth rate to a historic low of 1.29 children last year – just 500,000 newborns.
The traditional Italian view of children as an investment that brings guaranteed returns – or, put another way, more workers for the family business – has made way for the idea that offspring are simply a cost that does not pay off.The traditional Italian view of children as an investment that brings guaranteed returns – or, put another way, more workers for the family business – has made way for the idea that offspring are simply a cost that does not pay off.
As they sit around in the family home, young Italians may also be regretting turning their backs on their parents' trades to study for degrees that have proved useless in a tightened job market.As they sit around in the family home, young Italians may also be regretting turning their backs on their parents' trades to study for degrees that have proved useless in a tightened job market.
They cannot, however, be held responsible for the excessive amount of time it takes to obtain a degree in Italy's under-performing higher education system, where elderly academics have been known to pay more attention to putting family members on the payroll than following their students.They cannot, however, be held responsible for the excessive amount of time it takes to obtain a degree in Italy's under-performing higher education system, where elderly academics have been known to pay more attention to putting family members on the payroll than following their students.
The upshot is philosophy graduates in their early 30s breaking out the champagne when they manage to land a €1,000-a-month job in a call centre where they are put to work selling mobile phone contracts to Italian pensioners who had it so much better.The upshot is philosophy graduates in their early 30s breaking out the champagne when they manage to land a €1,000-a-month job in a call centre where they are put to work selling mobile phone contracts to Italian pensioners who had it so much better.