Italian referendum result gives green light to increasing the pension age

The go-ahead was given for an increase in Italy’s retirement age following a conclusive referendum of the 15 million workers and pensioners affected by the proposals.

The executives of Italy’s three major union confederations accepted the results which showed 81.6% votes in favour.

Changes were initially agreed between unions and the government in July, but a number of alterations angered the unions and put the whole proposal in doubt.

Following victory in the non-binding referendum, the new text is essentially the same as that agreed in July.

The agreement increases the pension age from 57 to 58 next year, for those who have paid contributions for 35 years, and to 60 by 2011, although by that stage 36 years of contributions will be needed.

Earlier proposals, from the previous right-wing government of Silvio Berlusconi, would have increased the retirement age to 60 next year.

Guglielmo Epifani, general secretary of the CGIL, Italy’s largest union confederation, expressed his satisfaction with the result. “We have respected, and in fact gone beyond the mandate that workers and pensioners have given us,” he said.