On Saturday, approximately 6,000 personnel from Italy's armed forces and security services took to the streets of Rome to demand higher wages, improved pensions, and stronger legal protections. The demonstration, organized by unions representing the Army, Navy, Air Force, Carabinieri, and Guardia di Finanza, marked a rare joint protest by the country's main defence and security unions.
The rally came just days after the Italian government renewed a collective agreement covering around 430,000 military and security personnel. The deal includes a gross monthly pay rise of €188 and a one-off back payment of €2,448, as well as a commitment to open talks on pension reform. However, several unions—including Sinafi, the New Carabinieri Union (NSC), Usami Aeronautica, Itamil, and Silmm—refused to sign, arguing the measures fall short of addressing long-standing concerns.
Demands for Fair Compensation
Marching under the slogan, "Every day we serve Italy. Today we demand respect," protesters carried banners through the streets of Rome. In a statement issued ahead of the rally, the unions outlined four main demands: reform of the supplementary pension system and an end to plans to raise the retirement age to 65, stronger legal protections for security personnel, pay increases that keep pace with the rising cost of living, and greater investment in recruitment, training, and modernising the profession.
The protest concluded with a conference on the future of Italy's security, defence, and emergency services, attended by representatives of several unions, including the NSC, which rejected the new pay agreement. “The reasons why we did not sign this agreement and rejected it are simple: what we were supposed to receive from an economic point of view has not been delivered,” said NSC secretary-general Massimiliano Zetti. “Because 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. It is only right that they should be paid fairly. Security has a cost.”
Broader European Context
While protests by military and law enforcement personnel are relatively rare in Europe, they have occurred in several EU countries in recent years. In Italy, police unions organised demonstrations in 2023 to demand more funding for pay rises, salary increases in line with inflation, and additional recruitment to tackle staff shortages. In France, police unions staged strikes and pickets in early 2024, calling for bonuses and guarantees on shifts and leave ahead of the Paris Olympics, which required a major security operation. In Spain, the Jusapol union repeatedly protested in 2024, demanding pay parity for National Police and Guardia Civil officers with regional police forces such as Catalonia's Mossos d'Esquadra. Some police unions also opposed the government's Catalan amnesty law in late 2023.
These protests reflect a wider trend across Europe, where security personnel are increasingly vocal about working conditions and compensation. The Italian demonstration underscores the challenges governments face in balancing fiscal constraints with the need to maintain morale and effectiveness in the security sector. As the EU debates defence spending and military mobility—such as the EU Defence Commissioner's push for a 2028 deadline—the human element of security forces remains a critical issue.
The Italian government has yet to respond formally to the unions' demands, but the protest signals growing pressure for more substantial reforms. With the cost of living rising across Europe, similar disputes may emerge in other member states, highlighting the need for a coordinated approach to ensure fair treatment for those who serve the state.
