Italy's unemployment rate dropped to 5.6% in December, the lowest level on record since the start of the statistical series in 2004, according to provisional data released by Istat on Friday.

    That was 0.1 of a percentage point lower than the previous record of 5.7%, which had been set in November.

The national statistics agency said 24.142 million people were in employment in Italy in December, which was down by 20,000 on November but up by 62,000 on December 2024.
    It said the employment rate was 62.5%, down 0.1 of a percentage point on November.
    Istat the number of people aged 15-to-64 who are not active on the labour market increased by 31,000, taking the inactivity rate up 0.1 of a point to 33.7%.
    "More positive news on the jobs front," Premier Giorgia Meloni said on Facebook.
    "Istat data for December confirms a clear fact: the unemployment rate has dropped to 5.6%, the lowest level since the beginning of the historical series in 2004.
    "On an annual basis, the number of employed people is increasing and more and more people are entering the labour market.
    "This is the right direction: more work, more stability, more opportunities.
    "We will continue on this road". 
   

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