And finally… don’t bank on mum and dad

Italy’s Supreme Court has made a landmark decision regarding parent’s obligations to financially support their children, following a five year legal battle between a 35-year-old man and his parents.

The claimant is a part-time music teacher from Florence who was living with his parents while he was struggling to find work in his field. He claimed they had a parental responsibility to financially support him.

Initial court proceedings agreed that he had a right to employment in keeping with his training and aspirations and could rely on his parents support in the meantime. The amount awarded was reduced later by a higher court but the principle was upheld.

In its decision, however, the court decided that parental support is not a lifelong insurance policy. Judge Maria Cristina Giancola, presiding, said that parents do not have an open-ended obligation to support their offspring and young people should be urged to seek economic independence, The Times reports.

The judge said the claimant needed to “reduce his adolescent ambitions” and support himself. The court added that an “ineffectual search for work drawn out indefinitely” did not help his case.

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