Italian military and police forces march in Rome over rejected pay deal
Thousands of Italian security personnel rejected a new government pay agreement and marched in Rome, highlighting growing labour unrest among European law enforcement that threatens public service stability.
Around 6,000 members of Italy’s armed forces and security services marched through Rome on Saturday to demand better compensation and workplace conditions. Representatives from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri, and Guardia di Finanza united for the first joint protest organised by the nation's primary defence and security unions.
This mobilisation occurred just days after the state renewed the collective agreement covering approximately 430,000 military and security personnel. The new contract provided a gross monthly pay increase of €188, a single back payment of €2,448, and a pledge to discuss pension reform.
However, several major unions refused to sign the contract, arguing the financial measures fail to address their core concerns. Organisations including Sinafi, the New Carabinieri Union, Usami Aeronautica, Itamil, and Silmm coordinated the walkout to press the state for further action.
Marching under the slogan "Every day we serve Italy. Today we demand respect", the unions outlined four primary objectives. These include reforming the supplementary pension system, halting plans to raise the retirement age to 65, ensuring pay keeps pace with inflation, and increasing investment in recruitment and modernisation.
Massimiliano Zetti, secretary-general of the New Carabinieri Union, explained the rejection of the economic terms. “Inside those uniforms working for the state, under the state’s emblem, there are not silhouettes, there are families, there are people, women and men who work,” Zetti stated, adding that security carries a necessary cost.
This dispute underscores a broader pattern of labour friction among European law enforcement agencies, which carries significant implications for public sector budgets and state stability. When security forces mobilise, it signals deep fiscal pressures within government payrolls and highlights the difficulty states face in balancing inflation-busting wage demands with fiscal consolidation.
Similar unrest has rippled across the continent recently. French police staged strikes ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, while Spanish officers protested for pay parity in 2024. Belgian unions previously disrupted Brussels Airport with roadblocks and fine refusals between 2022 and 2023.
For investors and policymakers, the Italian mobilisation serves as a warning about the political risks of public sector wage disputes. If the government cannot resolve the impasse with its security apparatus, it risks prolonged operational friction and increased pressure on the national budget.
