18-09-2025, 12:36 PM
Evolving Welfare: the government aims to strengthen social policies
From the Sustainable Housing Plan to municipal daycare centers, from the SSN+ to the new Sustainability Fund: toward a more inclusive and balanced welfare system
May 5673
ROMULA - With the start of its third term, the Moccia Government has chosen to begin with strengthening social policies, aiming to consolidate the progress made in the previous two terms and ensure greater sustainability for the Istalian welfare system. Priorities include the housing sector, the National Health System (SSN), the National Social Security Agency (ANPS), and preschool education, along with the need for more balanced and transparent financial management.
One of the cornerstones is the "Sustainable Housing Plan", which includes targeted redevelopment projects for working-class neighborhoods, new energy-efficient buildings, and incentives for co-housing and social housing thorugh an expansion of the scopes of the "Programma Garanzia Alloggio", introduced under the Moretti government. The goal is to reduce housing hardship, a phenomena that came back to increase especially among the growing worker and technician categories in the area interested by the new industrializations and mining activities, to improve quality of life and simultaneously reduce household energy consumption.
The government has therefore announced the "SSN+ Program", with a focus on prevention and treatment for rare and chronic diseases, including by strengthening regional specialized centers to become centers of excellence. The government also aims to extend telemedicine services, already tested during previous mandates, to peripheral and rural areas, thus reducing regional disparities in access to care. Special attention will be paid to pediatric facilities, which will receive new funds for modernization.
The National Social Security Agency (ANPS) will expand its programs to self-employed workers and those remaining precarious workers who have previously been excluded from the main safety nets. A digital platform for personalized management of social benefits and policy impact assessment will be introduced, ensuring constant monitoring of the effectiveness of interventions.
Another significant innovation is the "National Municipal Nursery Plan", which will make the presence of early childhood facilities mandatory in every municipality. Nurseries will be financed and managed directly by municipal administrations with an intervention of the state for the construction of new facilities, while access will be granted through an annual contribution based on family income. A full exemption is provided for low-income families, large families, and children with disabilities, ensuring equity and inclusion. The stated objective is twofold: to encourage birth rates and improve the work-life balance. Furthermore, the government will promote the development of corporate welfare through tax breaks, including in this area, to encourage the creation of company nurseries.
To support the expansion of social programs without compromising financial stability, the government has established the "Welfare Sustainability Fund", an innovative tool based on three pillars:
Dedicated revenue: part of the revenue from already announced environmental and digital taxes will be allocated to the Fund.
Compensation mechanisms: each new social measure must be accompanied by a prior cost assessment and any automatic coverage in the event of overspending.
Social Spending Review: an independent commission will annually monitor the relationship between resources used and social benefits, publishing a binding report for future allocations.
This system aims not only to stably finance welfare but also to introduce accountability and transparency criteria, ensuring that programs have a real impact on citizens' lives.
The third term therefore promises to be a phase of consolidation and maturation of the Istalian social model, aimed at combining inclusion, quality of services, and financial sustainability. From housing to healthcare, from childhood to social protection, the government aims to consolidate the reforms of the first two terms into permanent pillars of the welfare state.