Calabriando group warns of depopulation in Italian villages

The Calabriando group from Catanzaro held a solidarity excursion in Badolato on October 4, 2026, to protest the rapid depopulation of rural villages, a phenomenon they have termed “paesicidio” or “borghicidio”.

Activists highlighted that nearly 5,000 villages in Italy are at risk of disappearing if urgent government intervention is not taken. They argue that depopulation results in the loss of immense real estate value, historical, artistic, and socio-cultural heritage that defines the identity of Italy and Europe.

The demonstration also marked 40 years of struggle in Badolato, dating back to 1986, against the issue of villages being “for sale.” The group is calling for a territorial rebalancing, urging politicians to provide better services, connections, resources, and opportunities to give residents concrete reasons to remain in their communities.