Young Italians on the move

Since the beginning of the global economic crisis, 2007-2008, Italy has become increasingly unattractive as a country. The general economic situation and the employment situation in particular are negative, and Italians' perception of their own country even more so. One response from young Italians is what has been called the ‘fuga’ – flight. The number of young Italians moving abroad has been increasing steadily since 2008 and almost half of students say they would be willing to move abroad when they finish their education. The essay responds to the main questions posed by the problem: (i) the characteristics of the young people who have moved abroad or who intend to do so; (ii) the main reasons behind the decision to move abroad; (iii) the destinations most attractive to young Italians; and (iv) the (un)successfulness of the policies that Italy is putting in place to promote return migration. The essay bases its considerations on the statistics and the many scientific reports on this phenomenon. We shall not, however, underestimate the psychological and cultural motivations which certainly play a role but which can hardly be measured through statistics. Psychological and cultural motivations are, often, the invisible factors affecting the decision to move.