Overview
- Between December 2010 and June 2025, about 91% of the national net wealth increase went to the richest 5%, which now holds roughly 49.4% of total wealth.
- Absolute poverty affected more than 2.2 million families, or about 5.7 million people, in 2024 with little sign of improvement.
- Housing burdens have intensified, with renting households spending nearly one-third of income on shelter and more than 40% in major cities.
- Headline job gains in 2025 were driven largely by over‑50s, while youth and women faced underemployment and real wages lost 7.1 percentage points of purchasing power since 2019 with only a modest recovery projected for 2025.
- Oxfam warns at least €2.5 trillion in inheritances over the next decade could entrench advantage, noting Italy ranks 20th of 27 EU states on income equality and that 2024 policies are estimated to worsen disparities.