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80 people injured in Italy anti-austerity protest

13 April 2014 01:40 (UTC +04:00)

The violent confrontation happened on Saturday as thousands of people held a demonstration in central Rome against the government’s austerity measures and high unemployment.

Protesters accused the government of imposing EU directives without concern for their impact on the people.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned again about the high level of youth unemployment in Italy, calling for urgent reform of the country’s labor market.

On April 10, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said Italy must urgently reform its labor market with an eye to creating jobs for unemployed young people aged between 15 and 24.

With youth joblessness at over 42 percent, the highest level ever recorded since 1977, Italy is currently facing mounting pressure from the European Union (EU) and some highly influential financial institutions.

Lagarde also expressed concern that almost a quarter of young Europeans under the age of 25 cannot find a job, and that in Italy well over one-third of under-25s are jobless.

Soaring youth unemployment in Italy leaves an increasing number of young people with no option but to migrate to countries with better economies and more jobs.

Italy started to experience recession after its economy contracted by 0.2 percent in the third quarter of 2011 and by 0.7 percent in the year’s fourth quarter. The country has been the slowest-growing economy in the eurozone over the past decade.

Italians have been staging protests against high unemployment, economic adversity and hardship over a series of government-imposed austerity packages in recent years.