Early retirement in sharp decline: new rules take their toll
Early pensions are continuing to fall dramatically in Italy. According to the latest INPS report, only 54,094 early retirements were approved between January and March 2025—a decrease of 23.09% compared to the same period in 2024. This sharp drop follows recent legislative restrictions that have made it increasingly difficult to retire before reaching the full retirement age of 67.
The downward trend is evident in both the private sector (-19.43%) and, even more dramatically, in the public sector, which recorded a plunge of -33.85%. These numbers suggest that government policies to limit early exits from the workforce are indeed working—but at what social cost?
Gender pension gap widens: women still left behind
While fewer people are retiring early, another worrying trend emerges: the persistent gender gap in pension amounts. On average, men receive €1,486 per month, while women get just €1,011—a 32% difference, which has worsened compared to the 29.1% gap recorded in 2024.
This disparity reflects long-standing gender inequalities in the Italian labor market, where women often face interrupted careers, lower salaries, and part-time contracts, all of which lead to smaller pension contributions and therefore significantly lower pensions in retirement.
The road ahead: fiscal balance or social justice?
The fall in early retirements signals a clear legislative intent: reduce pension spending and protect the national budget. However, this strategy may neglect the real needs of older workers, especially those in physically demanding jobs or with health concerns, who might benefit most from the option of retiring early.
Meanwhile, the growing pension gender gap raises serious questions about the fairness of the system. Without targeted efforts to address the root causes of these imbalances, every pension reform risks reinforcing inequalities that are already deeply embedded.
Leave a Reply