Andrea Innocenti Yesterday early afternoon, the University Students' Union began setting up tents in Montecitorio Square and at numerous universities, launching a national mobilization with the slogan " Dear Italy, how much do you cost us? " The gesture aims to highlight the cost of university living, the housing crisis , and the perception that the right to education has become a commercial product.
The temporary structures quickly became a gathering place for students, faculty, and political representatives. On Instagram, the official UDI account posted a video of a student, in a determined tone, demanding the government move closer to the tents. The request caught the attention of MP Giovanni Donzelli, national representative for the Brothers of Italy party.
The Tents Under Montecitorio: Creation and Specific Requests
The tents, erected in minutes, were equipped with carts filled with students' weekly purchases: bags of groceries, bottles of oil, and transportation passes, all to highlight the struggle of having to choose between food and books. Among the signs, the phrase " We can't choose between rent and education " stands out, along with requests for larger scholarships , free housing , and a reduction in tuition fees, currently around €1.800.
Dear Italy, how much do you cost us?
The rally's motto captures the concerns of a generation that, unlike decades ago, faces a sharply rising cost of living : food, fuel (+26,8%), and rents exceeding €700 a month in private accommodations. Students are demanding at least €7 billion allocated to the right to education in the next budget law , highlighting the gap with military spending, which has doubled compared to the amount invested in education.
The confrontation with Giovanni Donzelli: an evasive response
In the afternoon, a student approached Donzelli, requesting an immediate meeting, suggesting that the tents outside Montecitorio were an invitation to dialogue. The MP responded in a detached tone: " Keep waiting . You can't decide at 14:10 PM that someone from the government will come and talk. The world doesn't work that way . You'll grow up and understand how it works." After these words, Donzelli walked away without further comment, leaving the students without the hoped-for response.
Political reactions and requests for a round table discussion
The protest has prompted the intervention of several political forces: Democratic Party (PD) secretary Elly Schlein, Five Star Movement (M5S) president Giuseppe Conte, Five Star Movement MP Antonio Caso, AVS MP Elisabetta Piccolotti, and others have expressed solidarity. Sabrina Brizzola, national coordinator of the UDI (Italian Democratic Party), has called for "an urgent meeting and the immediate convening of a roundtable with Minister Anna Maria Bernini." The proposal includes expanding scholarships, reintroducing the rent fund, and revising the Housing Plan, which some have deemed "paperless."
Meanwhile, in the adjacent square, farmers with the CIA demonstrated against rising agricultural prices, forming a united front against the high cost of living that affects all citizens, not just students. The synergy between the two protests reinforced the message: the government must act now, not in ten years.