Italy caregiver support proposal deemed inadequate

At a Democratic Party event in Vizzolo Predabissi on 25 July 2026, speakers criticized Minister Anna Maria Locatelli’s draft law on caregiver recognition. The proposal would grant a €400 allowance to fewer than 10% of family caregivers, impose strict income criteria, and reallocate funds from disability programs.

Critics noted that the Constitutional Court has ruled adequate financing must accompany any newly recognized right, a requirement the draft fails to meet. Advocacy groups and parliamentarians called for expanded services, training, and guaranteed access to respite care, urging a rewrite of the legislation before it risks being abandoned.

The debate highlights broader concerns about Italy’s aging population and the growing reliance on informal caregivers, whose contributions are essential to the country's long‑term care system.