Mom Wins Fight to Evict Adult Sons, the 'Parasites'

An Italian woman has won the right to evict her adult sons, whom she called "parasites" who refused to help out with household expenses or chores. The 75-year-old woman took her sons, aged 40 and 42, to court, saying her attempts to convince the pair to move out were futile. In fighting the lawsuit, the men argued Italian law required parents to care for their children "as long as necessary," per CNN. A judge in the northern city of Pavia acknowledged the men had a right to live at the home "initially" due to the "obligation of the parent to provide maintenance," but said that obligation no longer applied after the age of 40. Judge Simona Caterbi therefore gave the men until Dec. 18 to pack up their things and leave their mother's home, according to a Tuesday ruling.

About 7 million young adults in Italy, or 67.6% of those aged 18 to 34, still live with their parents, according to 2022 data cited by the Euronews. "There has always been a culture in Italy of multiple generations living under one roof," but, as in the US, "the number of young adults staying longer in the family home has risen in recent years, mostly as a result of tough economic conditions and the lengthy amount of time it takes to find a stable job," the Guardian reports. The unemployment rate for young people in Italy sits at 22.3%, per Euronews, as opposed to an overall rate of 7.8% in August. The unnamed woman in this case noted both her sons had jobs but still refused to contribute to the household. She described them as "parasites" in court documents, per CNN.

The retiree, who is separated from the sons' father, said her entire pension went toward food and home maintenance. Caterbi noted "there is no provision in the legislation which attributes to the adult child the unconditional right to remain in the home exclusively owned by the parents, against their will and by virtue of the family bond alone." She added that while the existing law is "based on the maintenance obligation incumbent on the parent ... once a certain age has been exceeded, the child can no longer expect the parents to continue the maintenance obligation beyond limits that are no longer reasonable." The men have yet to decide whether they'll appeal the decision, CNN reports. (More Italy stories.)