Italian Government Abolishes €500 Culture Bonus for 18-Year-Olds

The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has abolished the 18App culture bonus, a €500 voucher for all 18-year-olds used to purchase books, cinema and theater tickets, museum entries, and subscriptions. The amendment to the Budget Law, signed by deputies Federico Mollicone (Brothers of Italy), Rossano Sasso (League), and Rita Dalla Chiesa (Forza Italia), redirects the €230 million in funds to other cultural sectors: €15 million to the Book Fund, €30 million to libraries, €2 million annually to historical reenactments, €40 million from 2023 to the National Fund for Live Entertainment, and additional sums to state museums, historical carnivals, and the establishment of the Vittoriano Foundation. The government plans to replace 18App with a 'Carta Cultura' limited to textbook purchases. The opposition, including former Culture Minister Dario Franceschini and Italia Viva leader Matteo Renzi, has condemned the move, noting that France, Spain, and Germany have adopted similar culture bonuses inspired by Italy's model. Federculture and the Italian Publishers Association (AIE) expressed concern, with AIE president Ricardo Franco Levi and Confindustria Cultura Italia president Innocenzo Cipolletta calling for reconsideration. The 18App program, launched in 2016 for those born in 1998, saw nearly 360,000 participants out of 574,593 eligible in its first year. The deadline to spend the current bonus is February 28, 2023.