Citizens within the Emilia-Romagna region wish for institutions to promote the “State / Natural Disasters” option within the 8×1000 tax allocation. Therefore, such citizens are calling on whoever will govern the region to actively coordinate and support the municipalities that are affected by the floods in accessing the 8×1000 funds. Solely six days before the regional elections, these are the results from a BiDiMedia survey which was commissioned by the Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics (UAAR). The sample on which the survey is based comprises adult residents in Emilia-Romagna.
The survey consisted of three questions. The first of which focused on the institutions’ responsibility in promoting the “State / Natural Disasters” option within the 8×1000. On this particular question, seventy-seven percent responded affirmatively (with 45% considering it a national priority). On the other hand, 10% opposed it, arguing that the 8×1000 should be utilized to support churches. As per the second question, it addressed the role of local entities in relation to the aforementioned funds. Here, eighty-one percent of respondents believe that the Emilia-Romagna region ought to work actively and coordinate municipalities affected by the floods to use the 8×1000 for natural disaster relief (70% feel this should have been done after the 2023 flood). On the other hand, 8% oppose such a course of action, citing concerns about reduced funding for the Catholic Church and other religious denominations.
«The response from citizens in Emilia-Romagna is unequivocal» states UAAR National Secretary Roberto Grendene. «There is a strong disapproval of institutional inertia and the passing of responsibility between the government and the region. Citizens are demanding concrete action using state 8×1000 funds to address the devastation which is caused by the floods. Let us not beat around the bush: the political silence has a name – subservience to the Catholic Church. They have been endlessly talking about PNRR funds, which are essentially loans with interest, while the 8×1000 – a state resource already available – seems untouchable given that it serves the interests of the ecclesiastical hierarchies».
«We have reached out to the regional election candidates» added UAAR Regional Coordinator Roberto Vuilleumier, «but solely Federico Serra responses. Leading candidates Michele De Pascale and Elena Ugolini, aligned with the Church, chose not to reply. Maybe they will, now».
The survey’s final question revealed a lack of awareness for what concerns the option to allocate the 8×1000 to “State / Natural Disasters”. For instance, at the time of filing their tax returns, only twenty-three percent of respondents knew that this option was available. Similarly, seventeen percent were unaware or were not informed by tax assistance centers or their tax professionals. Notably, fifty-two percent of taxpayers said they would have considered choosing the “State / Natural Disasters” had they known it was a concrete possibility.
The 8×1000 funds amount to approximately 1.4 billion euros per year, with recent tax returns showing a steady decline in allocations to the Catholic Church, which received a record low of 911 million euros in the 2024 distribution. The “State” option, however, has been steadily growing, reaching 340 million euros. The UAAR calls for the abolition of the 8×1000 system, arguing that religious groups should be financed by their own followers rather than being financed by the state. In the meantime, the UAAR urges the State to promote the aforementioned option to taxpayers as a way to support natural disaster relief efforts.
Press Release