The reform aims to improve readiness and response times
Italy is preparing a major reform of its armed forces that would introduce a new multi-layered national reserve system and increase personnel levels by up to 40,000 by 2033, according to the latest version of a draft bill seen by Euractiv.
The reform, streamlined by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, aims to restructure Italy’s defence model and improve readiness and response times.
The expansion is linked to the objective of “ensuring the necessary levels of operational readiness and full interoperability of the military instrument in international contexts and in the perspective of a common European defence policy,” the document reads.
The increase of 40,000 units, which would bring the total number of serving personnel to over 200,000, will happen in stages. Each year, it would be set in the budget law, within the limit of 5,071 units for 2028, 5,321 for 2029, 7,001 for 2030, 7,444 for 2031, 7,500 for 2032 and 7,663 units for 2033.
