MESTRE (VENEZIA) (ITALPRESS) – This year the fiscal pressure in Italy should be attested to 42.9 percent, slightly decreased compared to 43.1 recorded in 2025. Despite this slight decrease, our country continues to have one of the highest levels of taxation in Europe and, according to current forecasts, in 2027 the data should go up to 43.2 percent. But what has happened since the beginning of this legislation? In 2022, the year preceding the advent of the government led by Giorgia Meloni, the tax pressure was 41.7 percent, i.e. 1,2 points less than that expected for this year. Does this mean that families and micro enterprises have paid more taxes? Not necessarily. In fact, for these categories the tax burden has been reduced by more than 33 billion, thanks to the measures introduced in the last four years. So, how do you explain the increase in tax pressure? An important contribution has been given to the new employees (by means of payment of Irpef and social security contributions) who in the last four years have increased altogether 1,2 million units. Moreover, from the analysis of the measures approved by the Meloni government, it is evident that the greater contribution to the growth of the jet is ascribable to some great economic subjects, in particular banks, insurance companies and large enterprises, who have seen their tax burden grow. To denounce it is the Study Office of the CGIA. Between 2022 and 2026 the jet grew thanks to the expansion of employment and the numerous contractual renewals signed by the social partners which resulted in an increase in wages and, consequently, tax and tax revenue. On the statistical level, the fiscal burden was also fueled by some regulatory choices, such as the suspension of the deductibility of specific cost items – from the devaluation of credits to start-up quotas – and the repeal of the ACE (Aid for Economic Growth), a tax discount that guaranteed approximately 4 billion euros per year. In general, interventions were made exclusively on capital companies (Srl and Spa), which totalled approximately 1.5 million companies, equivalent to 35 percent of the national total. We also point out that since this year banks and insurance companies, between the review of the discipline on extra-profits and the introduction of the Irap, will pay a total of 5.6 billion euros extra.
To complete the picture of the major income there was, paradoxically, also the cut of the tax wedge on the income from dependent work that did not only happen through the reduction of the Irpef (with the amalgamation of the first two Irpef scales and the introduction of a further deduction for the income from 20 thousand to 40 thousand euros), but also with the provision of a “bonus” to the employees with an income up to 20 thousand. Therefore, in the face of a total cut of almost 18 billion euros, almost 4,5 billion is counted as an increase in public expenditure (“bonus”). As a result, if for employees with low wages the pay envelope has become heavier, for the state budget a part of this tax contraction is now accounted for as an exit and no longer as a tax reduction. The last four Budget Laws launched by the Meloni government have provided for a number of interventions that have relieved the tax burden on most families, self-employed persons and micro-enterprises: from the raising of the flat tax threshold for self-employed persons, to the cutting of the tax wedge by means of the coupling of the first two income scales with the reduction of the rate to 23 percent and the reduction to 33 percent of the rate of the second call. Overall, these measures reduced the weight of taxes on Italian households of 45.7 billion euros. However, considering the resources already allocated by previous governments and temporary measures, the benefit for households is at 33.3 billion. In summary, the CGIA recalls that with the Budget Law 2023 employees were able to benefit for that year a partial exemption on social security contributions of 4.3 billion euros. With the Law of Budget 2024, the settlement of the first Irpef call (application of the rate of 23 percent up to 28 thousand euros), the elevation to 1,955 euros of the deduction from dependent work and the reductions of deductions in case of income over 50 thousand euros allowed a tax discount that altogether amounts to almost 4,3 billion per year.
But the most significant measure of 11 billion euros always taken with the finance of 2024 has rewarded the employees, thanks to a partial exemption on social security contributions to them. With the Budget Law 2025, the most important cut introduced in these four years of government took place with the structural reduction of Irpef rates from 4 to 3 for employees, pensioners and self-employed and a number of other deductions on income that allowed a tax relief of 17.1 billion. Finally, with the Budget Law of 2026 the reduction of the rate relative to the second tax from 35 to 33 percent has allowed all Irpef taxpayers a reduction of the tax pairs to 2.9 billion.
Tax justice is one of the key principles of a liberal democracy: everyone has to pay taxes and those with greater economic resources must contribute proportionally higher. Many experts and political forces believe that this goal must be pursued by intervening above all on the front of revenue, through the contrast to tax evasion – sacred measure – and, for someone, also through the introduction of a wealth on the great wealth, a proposal that continues to arouse strong perplexity. Tax justice, however, is not only achieved by recovering jets, but also, through careful and responsible use of public money, which comes from the sacrifices of citizens and enterprises. In other words, it means rationalising public expenditure, without therefore helping to take part in the fundamental chapters of welfare, such as health, social security, education and social assistance.
For this reason, in addition to the fight against the evasion that is persecuted wherever it is nested, the CGIA considers it equally important to start a revision of the tax system. According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, in 2025 the so-called state tax expenditures amounted to 119 billion euros a year. If the tax benefits granted by regions and local authorities are added, the total value of tax benefits recognised to households and enterprises should approach 150 billion euro annually. In the face of a figure of this magnitude, it is legitimate to ask whether it is not possible to intervene at least 10 percent of these benefits, obtaining a saving close to 15 billion euros per year. It should not be forgotten, in fact, that Italy continues to live with a very high public debt and that an important reduction of fiscal pressure can only be achieved through a corresponding rationalization of public expenditure. In contrast, those who promise less taxes for everyone are likely to just throw a suggestive slogan, but hardly feasible.
– photos of repertoire IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
