In the communications item of the Grand and General Council (Consiglio Grande e Generale), Matteo Rossi (PSD) spoke about young people, work and the relationship with the new generations, drawing also on reflections that took shape over the summer. In his remarks, he addressed the changing relationship with work, the question of free time, the use of social media, and the need to offer qualified young people concrete prospects in San Marino as well. The full speech follows.
Matteo Rossi (PSD): Opening the session with a farewell to our late colleague Matteo probably left all of us somewhat stunned. The news itself was devastating, even though we were aware of the situation and had all been close to him, in one way or another, during these years of suffering. In this communications item, I want to speak about an issue that was dear to Matteo. I had known him since the beginning of my political activity. He was a little older than me, but we often exchanged views at the various youth forums, moments of dialogue between the young members of different parties that used to be very intense, lively and vibrant. Partly the summer, and partly the long break we took from Council activity, allowed me — and I hope some of my colleagues too — to reflect on things beyond the routine and the political debate we all engage in on the big issues, from debt to the ISS, banks and Europe. I had a truly delightful surprise in talking with a great many young people from Spain. Spain opened up a whole new world for me in this respect: on holiday I saw a lot of twenty-year-olds, graduates, employed, who had the chance to travel, to compare notes, to look at and see the world. All of this led me to talk a great deal with these young people and, on the other hand, to think about something: we probably have a scandalous narrative — truly scandalous — when it comes to our own young people. We are convinced, and we talk about these young people even here in the Council, as if they were all silly kids glued to their phones, scrolling through social media and little else. And I admit it: I was among those who got worked up, and often did get worked up, in debates, even in direct exchanges, including when I held the office of Captain Regent alongside my colleague Bugli. In the meetings we had at that time with the Commission we discussed this at length, and I probably have to admit that I changed my mind, because perhaps we are simply not able to understand them. We don’t know them, we don’t want to know them, we are light years away from young people. They think according to dynamics and logics that belong entirely to today’s world, while ours belong to a world that probably no longer exists. I have found an extremely well-prepared generation, probably precisely because of their use of social media, because of their curiosity, their dynamism, their being “smart” — which is not just a word, but something concrete. Twenty-year-olds who, thanks to social media, are open to the world and to knowledge. I spoke with young Spaniards because this really struck me. Spain is probably also going through a unique set of circumstances, experiencing incredible prosperity. The policies it is pursuing are bringing Spain to levels that Italy probably reached back in the 1980s, and which Spain has today. These young people can gain experience, travel, and have extremely well-paid jobs, because their country had the courage to do certain things that are now delivering excellent results and excellent prospects for young people. Of course, young people look at social media, but we used to watch television too. We must not only teach these young people. They are accused of having no desire to do anything, whereas what we have failed to understand is that they have changed the way they think about work, about how one works and about what kind of life they want to build around their job. This is something we ignore, yet it is plain for everyone to see. Nowadays you can do far more in far less time, and so there is a fundamental issue that we never address in our debates. There is something I invite everyone to reflect on, and which is being studied at many universities, especially American ones: the use of free time. How to occupy free time will be a consequence of modernity, of the new world, of artificial intelligence and of new professions. We should be able to change our perspective. We are no longer workaholics, no longer addicted to work. That world no longer exists; it is a world that is changing, that is being put away in the attic, and so we must be able to understand this and try to make it our own. Here in San Marino too we have the opportunity and plenty of scope to do this, and we must seize this chance. These young people have chosen to give value to their lives and their relationship with work in this way. If we think about young people, clearly, another consideration must also be made. We always end up at the bottom line, but young people do their own sums. If our prospect is to earn 1,600 or 1,800 euros, then it’s clear: at least give me the free time to make the most of my life. This is something young people say to themselves. In San Marino we are fortunate to have a public administration that also gives young people free time, but a graduate, a qualified professional, earns 2,000 euros. So let us have the courage to start tackling this debate, not only within the public administration. I am talking about the world of work with young people in mind, and we need to reason along these lines. There are many things to discuss. Let me give an example: the restaurant and tourism sectors are having enormous difficulty finding staff. In the public administration, in the schools, a cook or a caretaker-cook earns 1,400-1,500 euros a month. Is it really so scandalous to give someone who has the desire and the time to do something else the opportunity to take on a different role? Let’s talk about the family: if someone wants to start a family, wants to buy a home, let’s give them the opportunity and start reflecting on this. This speech of mine was, in a way, a product of the summer, a product of lazy days at the beach, if you like, but I believe it is an extremely important issue. Then there is the question of social media, which we will also discuss in an Arengo Petition. I can say that I have changed my approach compared to my initial rigidity, if only because, while it is true that on social media you see insults, foul language and comments of a certain kind, it is not young people who post them. It is the older generations, the more adult generations. Young people barely post at all anymore, practically speaking. They use social media to see the world, to build a culture, to understand what to do and what prospects exist in the world. They don’t use it to argue — that’s us. So let us have the courage to learn from young people social-media etiquette as well, something we lack and that we must learn from them. Let’s stop always lecturing from on high. Let’s change our attitude and do so with rigour and logic, bearing in mind that we must build a world in which these young people have the chance to have a life. Indeed, let’s start with ourselves: let’s build a country in which our young people have this opportunity. Let’s not deny it: from my generation onward, things have been much harder. Those who graduated from school after 2005-2006, as we often say, have faced a very different situation compared to previous generations, who in San Marino had many opportunities for economic growth, great professional satisfaction and earning potential. So let us start reflecting on the fact that perhaps we want to keep hold of some of these young people, especially the talented ones who can bring quality. In the public administration, of course, they will also be extremely important in light of the Association Agreement: it will require us to hire and identify young people with strong language skills, legal expertise, and I am also thinking of statisticians, engineers, high qualifications and degrees across the board, but above all a smart mindset, a mindset that lets you move at a much faster pace. To find these young people, we clearly also need to shape an important policy around the fact that qualifications and people with certain skills must be paid accordingly. There’s no point in hiding it. We also need to think about revising certain policies within the administration, and above all in the private sector. The administration cannot absorb everyone and cannot become the only prospect for all young people. So, Secretary of State for Labour, workplace inclusion is all well and good — the State must take care of people facing serious hardship — but the time has also sacrosanctly come to think about a future for these young people.
