Beginning 2023: the social and political situation of Molise

City of Campobasso from above

Gabriele Romano Campobasso, Italy Campobasso from the Ferrazzano viewpoint

Molise is too often considered a region on the margins of media attention. It is no coincidence that the region is almost always defined ironically as the region that does not exist... A small region, and although relatively crime-free, is not without its problems.. In the last months of 2022, health problems have become unsustainable and add to the socio-political problems and difficulties that have already existed for years...

the health situation:

Healthcare should be a fundamental and indispensable service for any region. In northern Italy, many clinics are renowned for their efficiency and reliability, while in the sud, hospitals are often lacking. The health situation in Molise has been in a downward phase for some time and the appointment of the president of the region as ad acta commissioner for health is only the latest political measure to patch up a collapsing system. Toma announced that there are not enough resources for health care: "I say it bluntly - says the president of the Molise Region, Donato Toma - the National Health Fund in the current amount is insufficient for all the needs that have arisen in recent times, expensive energy and lost revenues due to the pandemic". The 118 (ambulance) service has been in danger of not being provided for weeks. This is due to many causes. There has been a shortage of personnel in Molise for years, especially doctors. But in recent months there is also a shortage of volunteers who have always guaranteed the shifts of the rescue service. Long since, however, these volunteers serve in a state of precariousness without having been heard by the region on the need for an employment contract relationship. So the many volunteers who were there before found employment elsewhere failing to serve shifts.

the social situation: the demographic decrease

Molise and its population are getting older and more and at the same time it continues to decrease. It is the photograph that emerges from the data of the Cgia of Mestre according to which more pensions are paid in the region than salaries. Based on the latest available Istat data, updated to 30 September last, there are now 290,362 residents. In the first 9 months of the year, Molise lost 2,000 inhabitants considering that there were just over 292,000 residents a year ago. The picture of what has happened in the last 20 years is alarming: Molise has lost over 30,000 residents, more than 10 percent of the population. In 2002 the inhabitants were 321,047, in 2022 they dropped to 290,362. The final data referring to 2022 could reveal many further negative surprises: in fact, there are several small municipalities in the region that risk falling below 100 inhabitants.

labor and social policies

Even on the injury front, the situation is not rosy. In Molise in 2022 (data updated to 30 November) accidents at work recorded an increase of 46 percent compared to the previous year. This was announced by the CGIL Abruzzo-Molise secretariat. Those reported to Inail have increased by 704 compared to 2021. Until November of the previous year there were 1,546 while in 2022 there were 2,250 with a high percentage of women involved (-41%, with 926 cases). There were 1,612 reports of accidents in the province of Campobasso, 638 in the province of Isernia. Five fatal accidents in 2022 compared to 17 (of which 8 due to Covid) in 2021. Of these, four (of which 1 in itinere) concerned the province of Campobasso, one that of Isernia, with an accident on the way from home to work involving a 46-year-old woman of foreign origin. "Numbers - observes the CGIL - which on the one hand confirm the safety emergency at work and on the other testify to how urgent actions and investments are to reverse this trend.

Regarding employment or unemployment, there is no precise reference to the Molise region. In any case, it has been seen with some evidence that 2022 has worsened the failures of some activities more than covid have did...
On the other hand, regarding the data, there are some national vstatistics that partially line the trend of the region... As of September 2022, the unemployment rate in Italy remained stable at 7.9% per year. This was announced by Istat adding that, in September, after two months of decline, employment is growing again, registering 46,000 more employed than the previous month. "The increase - says Istat - is also observed compared to September 2021, +300 thousand employed, and is concentrated among permanent employees who, in one year, grow by over 200 thousand units". Compared to August 2022, the employment rate rises to 60.2% (+0.2 points). The youth unemployment rate is on the rise, reaching 23.7% (+1.6 points) in the reference month.
Source Rai News

the political situation

On regional policy there would be little to say. Over these 3 and a half years of the Gravina administration in the municipality of Campobasso, the years have passed without too many criticisms but also without reforms. The Pandemic between 2020 and 2022 was managed within the limits of responsibility except for some slight inattention to some clusters of ROM communities. The mayors of the various towns, on the other hand, have repeatedly written to the mayor of Campobasso regarding the health crisis, and Gravina has in turn addressed the Prefect showing all his good will and intention to solve the big problem gripping the region, but at the moment, however, no great results are seen.