Southern Europe Seeks to Woo Middle Class After Years of Pain(1)

When Umberto Dulizia decided to be a nurse twenty years ago, he never thought he’d struggle to make ends meet.

Yet the 52-year old, who works in a public hospital in Rome, has seen his purchasing power shrink in recent years and argues Italy’s tax system has weighed most heavily on low-to-middle income earners like himself.

Dulizia’s frustration at the lack of affordability is shared by many Italians, who have been reeling from a higher cost of living while their salaries have remained largely stagnant. Now, the government in Rome is looking to do something about it — and it ...