Raffaele Fitto proposes ‘Right to Stay’ strategy for EU budget

Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, has proposed a ‘Right to Stay’ strategy to be integrated into the upcoming European Union budget. The initiative aims to move beyond merely slowing depopulation by actively creating the conditions necessary for citizens to choose to live, stay, or return to their preferred territories.

The strategy seeks to unify fragmented policies by linking cohesion, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and transport. Fitto intends to focus on geographically vulnerable areas, including rural and mountainous zones, inland areas, islands, and territories along Europe’s eastern borders. To prepare this strategy, Fitto has been conducting field visits to various regions, such as Madeira, to consult with local administrators and citizens directly.