Europe & Central Asia · EU · OECD · G20 · NATO
Data checked 28 Oct 2026 · next scheduled check 1 Jan 2027 · UN World Population Prospects (via World Bank) released 1 Jul 2026 · Eurostat released 21 Oct 2026 · World Bank WDI released 8 Oct 2026
Total spending · 2024
50.4%
-1.0 pts since 1995
Welfare · 2024
21.3%
+3.8 pts since 1995
Healthcare · 2024
6.60%
+1.5 pts since 1995
Defence · 2024
1.30%
+0.1 pts since 1995
Education · 2024
4.00%
-0.4 pts since 1995
Debt interest · 2024
4.00%
-2.1 pts since 2001
Gross debt · 2025
137.1%
of GDP · +18 pts since 1995
Population · 2025
58.9m
3.6% since 1995
Public-sector employment
Not available: no official public-sector employment series is loaded for Italy yet.
Welfare rose from 17.5% to 25.0% of GDP between 1995 and 2020, then fell to 21.3% by 2024.
Healthcare rose from 5.1% to 7.8% of GDP between 1995 and 2020, then fell to 6.6% by 2024.
Defence rose from 1.2% to 1.5% of GDP between 1995 and 2009, then fell to 1.3% by 2024.
Education rose from 4.4% to 4.6% of GDP between 1995 and 2003, then fell to 4.0% by 2024.
Debt interest fell from 6.1% to 3.5% of GDP between 2001 and 2019, then rose to 4.0% by 2024.
Total spending rose from 51.4% to 56.8% of GDP between 1995 and 2020, then fell to 50.4% by 2024.
Gross debt rose from 119.1% to 154.4% of GDP between 1995 and 2020, then fell to 137.1% by 2025.
Population grew from 56.8 million in 1995 to 58.9 million in 2025; the UN projects 51.2 million by 2050.