Corporate›Institutional‘PNRR’ (national recovery and resilience plan): italians are not very aware of it but health is a priority among the missions of the plan

'PNRR' (national recovery and resilience plan): ITALIANS ARE NOT VERY AWARE OF IT BUT HEALTH IS A PRIORITY AMONG THE MISSIONS OF THE PLAN

Research by Changes Unipol, processed by Ipsos, shows that:

• Only 1 out of 5 Italians has specific awareness of the 'PNRR' (national recovery and resilience plan) and only 5% of the population have an in-depth awareness of it
• • Awareness of at least the name of the PNRR increases with age: it peaks with the baby boomer generation (88% compared to average Italian awareness of 83%), with Generation Z the least aware (77%)
  • The metropolitan area of Bologna is where there is most in-depth awareness (11%), while the highest percentage of people who are unaware of it are in Verona (23%)
• 4 Italians in 10 believe that the PNRR will help relaunch the country, while 2 out of 3 would like to know more
• • More awareness of the Plan is a need felt most strongly by older generations (71% of the baby boomers) and people who live in the metropolitan areas of Bari (75%), Bologna (73%) and Milan (71%)
  • On the other hand, it seems to be less of a priority to know more by Generation Z (60%), those who live in Rome (60%) and Verona (61%)
• Among those who know the PNRR well (21%), there is trust (54%), especially in the competence of the government (45%)
• Among those who have at least heard of it (83%), Generation Z (16-26 years of age) have most confidence in the Plan (46% quite confident, 8% very confident)
• Among the six missions of the Plan, health is a priority for Italians (31%) even though it is the last in terms of funds allocated by the government

Bologna, 4 January 2022

Only 21% of Italians, about 9 million people, have specific awareness of the PNRR (national recovery and resilience plan), while 62% have a vague awareness of it. Just 5% of the population (about 2 million Italians) have a real in-depth awareness of the Plan; overall, more than 8 out of 10 (83%, about 36 million citizens) know at least the name of the Plan.

This is what has emerged from research carried out by Changes Unipol, processed by Ipsos, which analysed awareness, interest and confidence in the main characteristics of the 'PNRR' (national recovery and resilience plan). The investigation was carried out through a representative national sample of the population aged between 16-74 years of age (representing over 44 million individuals) and resident in the main metropolitan areas (representing over 13 million individuals) according to gender, age, geographic zone, size of the centre, education status, standard of living, job and household. 1,720 interviews were carried out using the CAWI method1.

The research also showed how the awareness of the Plan increased in proportion to age: it peaked among baby boomers (88% of people between 57 and 74 years of age were aware at least of the name of the PNRR, followed by Generation X (83% of people between 41 and 56 years of age), with less awareness by Generation Z (77% of people between 16 and 26 years of age aware at least of the name of the PNRR). Awareness by Millennials, those aged between 27 and 40 years of age, was just under the average (80% were aware of at least the name of the PNRR), but their command of the PNRR was above the national average (23% compared to an average of 21%) and in line with the more mature population (24%).

Bologna, with 11% of the interviewees, led the classification of the metropolitan areas with the most in-depth knowledge of the Plan, at double the percentage of the average of the other cities. It was followed by Verona (9%) and Rome (7%). Inhabitants of Verona also stood out for the high percentage of those "who never heard of it" (23%), followed by the inhabitants of Turin (22%) and Naples (21%).

• CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviewing) is a data collection method based on filling out a questionnaire on the Internet.

Confidence grew with awareness of the Plan, while 2 Italians out of 3 would like to know more about how the reforms will actually contribute towards the recovery of the country.

The data by Changes Unipol, processed by Ipsos, showed that 4 out of 10 Italians envisage the PNRR as a useful instrument to relaunch the country, but more awareness of the Plan generated increased confidence with the percentage of optimists rising to 54% among those who believe that they have specific knowledge of the contents of the Plan. Among these, the driving element is represented by the competence of the government to spend the resources available (45%).

Considering the low level of command of the issue, 2 out of 3 Italians (66%, about 29 million citizens) would like to know more about how the PNRR reforms will actually contribute towards the recovery of the country.

This need is more strongly felt by the older generations (71% of baby boomers) and by people who live in the metropolitan areas of Bari (75%), Bologna (73%) and Milan (71%). On the other hand, there seems to be a lower percentage who wish to know more by Generation Z (60%), and those who live in Rome (60%) and Verona (61%).

The opinion that the funds would not be enough was widespread among those who had at least

heard of the PNRR.

73% of those who had at least heard about the Plan believe that the funds allocated will not be enough however, and more especially, that more public funds will be needed (51%, while the portion of those who also believe that private funds will be necessary amounts to 22%).

This opinion is more prevalent among Millennials (57%, compared to 51% of Generation X, 50% of Generation Z and 45% of baby boomers) and in the metropolitan areas of the Centre (57% compared to 54% recorded in the North and 49% recorded in the South). At the level of metropolitan areas, especially in Palermo (82%) and Verona (82%), percentages were much higher than the average in Italy (73%) and it is believed that the funds may not be enough, while Naples has the highest figure of those who believe that the funds will be enough to get the country back on its feet (35% compared to an average in Italy of 27%).

On the other hand, among those who have a good command of the PNRR, the need for more funds falls to 60% and there is a sharp rise in those who believe other private funds - from the public and businesses - compared to public funds, will be necessary.

Generation Z and Southern Italy are the least informed, but the most confident.

Finally, among those who at least heard of it, Generation Z (54%) were the most confident in the PNRR and its opportunities, and, among the metropolitan areas, those with the most confidence were in Southern Italy, apart from Palermo (38%), with Naples at 57% and Bari at 53% compared to an Italian average of 46%.

Among the 6 missions of the PNRR, "Health", last in terms of funds allocated, is considered a

priority, followed by the Ecological Transition and Social Inclusion.

Health is a priority for Italians (31%) among the six missions of the PNRR even though it has the least amount of funds allocated by the government. The fourth wave of the pandemic and the increasing number of infections and infected people who have been hospitalised inevitably lead to reflections and conditioning of the public who, to date, identify digitalisation, telemedicine, and territorial assistance as the main necessities for the future of the country.

The area of "Health" therefore soared as a priority at national level (31% of the interviewees considered it to be the most relevant issue for the entire country), even though the least amount of funds has been set aside for it. The fourth wave of the pandemic and the increasing number of infections and infected people who have been hospitalised has definitely affected the perception and the programme of requirements. The "Green revolution and Ecological Transition" came into second place (18%), which mission is first in terms of allocated funds, before "Social Inclusion and Cohesion" (17%), "Education and Research" (13%), "Infrastructure for Sustainable Mobility" (11%) and "Digitalisation, Innovation, Competitiveness and Culture" (10%).

The area of "Health" is an area of basic need also at local level, i.e., considering the situation in the place where one lives (for 29% of the interviewees of the various metropolitan areas), especially in Bologna (45%), Verona (36%) and Turin (35%), while less relevant in Naples (22%) and Rome (21%), where interest is focused on infrastructures which constitute the main priority (22% compared to 15% of the various metropolitan areas). The issue of social inclusion is very strongly felt in Palermo (26%), Naples (25%) and Bari (24%), but not considered very important in Bologna (10%). Verona has the highest value relating to the "Green revolution and Ecological Transition" (24%), but the lowest green orientation is felt in Turin (with only 5% interest). "Digitalisation, Innovation, Competitiveness and Culture" and "Education and Research" were most keenly felt in Florence (15% and 18% respectively) and these two areas exceed the average of the other locations by a long shot.