As Italians feel the pinch of tough new austerity measures, their politicians are living like fat cats, said Barbie Latza Nadeau in TheDailyBeast.com. According to a new EU survey of lawmaker pay, Italian legislators make an average of $20,700 per month, including lavish perks and expenses. That’s $2,600 more than French lawmakers, the second highest paid, and three times more than Spanish ones, who earn $6,000 a month. Italian politicians enjoy free travel within Italy; a tax-free housing allowance; $5,000 per month for secretaries, even if they don’t have any; and subsidized gourmet dining.
Public disgust over the revelations was summed up this way on a popular Facebook page that airs parliamentary secrets: “Anna, 74-year-old retiree, $550 a month; Domenico Scilipoti, 54-year-old parliamentarian, $18,920 a month. This is Italy.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.