The recently unveiled budget maneuver for 2025 has sparked significant debate, particularly regarding its implications for health care professionals and families.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni emphasized that the budget does not increase taxes and aims to maintain fiscal discipline while addressing key areas such as jobs, wages, family support, and health care. However, the proposed increases in allowances for medical professionals have been met with criticism, as unions argue that the financial support is insufficient and belittles the contributions of health care workers.
For physicians, the medical specificity allowance is set to rise by 17 euros net in 2025 and 115 euros in 2026, while medical executives will see an increase of 14 euros in 2025, with no further adjustments in 2026. Nurses are expected to receive a modest increase of 7 euros in 2025 and 80 euros in 2026. Unions representing these professionals, including Anaao, Cimo, and Nursing Up, have expressed their dissatisfaction, labeling the proposed increases as "crumbs" that fail to adequately address the needs of the health care sector. In response to these grievances, a national strike is scheduled for November 20, highlighting the growing unrest among medical staff.
The budget maneuver also outlines significant cuts across various ministries, amounting to 7.7 billion euros over three years, with the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Mef) bearing the brunt of these reductions. The public administration will face a cap on turnover, limited to 75 percent in 2025, while schools will experience cuts affecting teachers and administrative staff. Additionally, the budget includes a squeeze on deductions for high-income earners, specifically targeting those with incomes above 75,000 euros, while attempting to safeguard larger households through a family quotient mechanism.
In a bid to support families, the budget introduces a one-time 1,000-euro birth bonus for each child born or adopted after January 1, 2025, aimed at families with an Isee under 40,000 euros. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to address family and birthrate concerns, alongside the expansion of the daycare bonus, which will now be available to all families meeting the income threshold. The maneuver also extends tax breaks for working mothers to self-employed individuals, albeit with an income cap, further emphasizing the government's focus on supporting families amid economic challenges.
The budget allocates 1.3 billion euros for health care in 2025, a figure that unions argue is inadequate to meet the needs of the National Health Service. The funding is set to increase significantly in subsequent years, with projections of 5.1 billion euros in 2026 and 5.8 billion euros in 2027. However, health care professionals have expressed concerns that the current allocation does not provide the necessary support for hiring new personnel or addressing existing shortages. The unions have criticized the government for failing to deliver on promises of increased funding and hiring, leading to a sense of disillusionment within the health care community.
Moreover, the budget includes provisions for updating the Essential Levels of Care and implementing measures from the National Pandemic Plan for 2025-2029. Despite these initiatives, the overall sentiment among health care professionals remains one of frustration, as they feel that the proposed measures do not adequately reflect the realities of their working conditions or the demands placed upon them. The anticipated hiring of health personnel, which is expected to commence in 2026, has also been met with skepticism, as unions question the government's commitment to addressing staffing shortages in the immediate term.
As the budget maneuver unfolds, it is clear that the government faces a challenging balancing act. While the Prime Minister has reiterated the importance of fiscal responsibility and the need to support families and health care workers, the reactions from unions and professionals indicate a growing divide between government intentions and the realities faced by those on the front lines of health care and family support. The upcoming strike on November 20 will serve as a critical moment for health care professionals to voice their concerns and demand a more equitable approach to funding and support.