Mountain municipalities lose status and funding under Italy's Calderoli reclassification

The Italian government, through new criteria introduced by Minister Roberto Calderoli, has redefined the parameters for classifying mountain municipalities. The change removes the mountain status of dozens of towns, stripping them of national resources for services, school funding, health, connectivity and transport. Sardinia is projected to lose 75 municipalities, dropping from 207 to 132, which regional Deputy Marco Meloni described as “devastating”.

The Democratic Party (PD) has organized meetings with mayors of affected towns in the Chamber of Deputies. PD leaders, including Chiara Braga and Marco Sarracino, said the new rules ignore isolation, demographic decline and infrastructural fragility, and warned that “the economy of many territories is being put on its knees”. The party announced a draft law to repeal Calderoli’s provision and noted that nine municipalities have already filed appeals with the Lazio administrative court. The Five Star Movement also voiced criticism, calling the declassification an act that threatens essential services and could force school closures. The PD urges the government to reverse the decision and consider compensatory measures for the impacted communities.