Budget 2027, Schools and Healthcare in Revolt Against Cuts

The economic maneuver for 2027, a text worth 26 billion euros and 157 articles, arrives at the Chamber's Budget Committee amid a climate of strong opposition. School unions and hospital doctors have opened a cross-cutting protest front against the proposed measures.

For schools, the maneuver envisions a reduction of 6,974 positions starting from 2027-2028, including 4,925 teachers and 2,049 administrative, technical, and auxiliary (Ata) staff. The unions reject the logic of cuts, emphasizing that declining birth rates should lead to less crowded classrooms, not fewer staff. The Flc Cgil has already called a general strike for November 20.

In healthcare, the National Health Fund will rise to 146.3 billion in 2027, but its share of GDP will drop to 6.11%. The Regions argue that the 7.1 billion added over three years is insufficient compared to the 18 billion requested, risking longer waiting lists. Hospital doctors also protest the lack of resources for hiring and salaries.

The discussion on the 2027 budget maneuver takes place against a backdrop of pre-existing tensions in the public education and healthcare sectors. The debate has deep roots: according to union calculations, factoring in the cuts already mandated by the 2025 budget law, there would be an overall reduction of 14,808 positions in schools over three years (10,585 teachers and 4,223 administrative, technical, and auxiliary staff).

The government justifies the revision of school staffing levels by citing demographic decline and the shrinking student population. However, the unions reject this automatic equation, having argued for years that fewer students should mean smaller classes and more individual attention, not fewer teachers. The protest also involves school principals, who have traditionally been more open to dialogue with the executive branch.

For healthcare, the starting point is a system already under strain: in 2025, citizens paid 42.4 billion euros out of pocket for care, and 5.6 million people gave up on check-ups or exams. The system suffers from a structural shortage of personnel, with over 80,000 nurses missing and approximately 6,000 early resignations by hospital doctors in 2025 alone. According to critics, the current budget maneuver fails to address these fundamental issues, risking a further push toward the privatization of care.