Italian Healthcare Workers Strike Over Pay and Conditions

Thousands of doctors and nurses in Italy staged a strike to protest inadequate pay and working conditions, with unions reporting that up to 85% of healthcare workers participated. The walkout is a response to the government's 2025 budget, which unions argue fails to address staffing shortages and necessary salary increases in the context of an aging population. Italy's healthcare spending stands at 6.2% of GDP, below the EU average of 6.8%, and is the lowest among the G7 nations, according to the think-tank Gimbe. Despite promises to improve healthcare following the COVID-19 pandemic, the government's financial plan maintains this spending level through 2027. The strike highlights the increasing reliance on private clinics as public hospitals face growing patient backlogs. To address staffing shortages, the southern region of Calabria is set to recruit nearly 500 medical professionals from Cuba in the coming years.