The Molise Region in Italy Offers €700 Monthly for 3 Years to Those Who Move There

Molise is a region located in southern Italy, bordered to the north by Abruzzo and to the south by Puglia and Campania. As we say, it is one of the most sparsely populated regions of Italy.

Authorities have decided to provide €700 a month for three years to those who move to any of the towns in the region. However - as reported by The Guardian - several conditions are set: the chosen town must have fewer than 2,000 inhabitants, and individuals must start some type of business there. "We want people to invest in the region," said the president of Molise. "They can open any type of business: a bakery, a kiosk, a restaurant.. whatever. It is a way to give new life to our towns in addition to increasing the population."

According to the Italian Statistical Institute, Molise, with a population of 305,000 people, is among the regions that have lost the most residents in recent years. In 2018, more than 2,800 people either died or left the towns of the region for other areas or cities. An alarming fact: in recent years, not a single birth has been recorded in its towns.

Italy is one of the European countries with the oldest population. It ranks second after Japan for the highest number of elderly individuals. Italian authorities have been promoting repopulation of the most sparsely populated areas of the country through various initiatives or funding. Some mayors, like that of Sutera in Sicily, have opened the doors of empty houses to provide shelter to refugees from Libya. Others, such as the mayor of Sambuca, have adopted a strategy that has become popular in some southern Italian towns, selling or practically giving away old houses for a symbolic price of 1 euro to anyone who wants to move there.