By Laura Contemori – ROME (Econostream) – Italy’s public debt rose by €26.6 billion in May from the previous month to €3.181 trillion, Bank of Italy data showed on Wednesday.

The general government borrowing requirement amounted to €13.4 billion in May, while Treasury liquid assets increased by €9.5 billion to €51.9 billion. Other factors, including issuance and redemption premiums, inflation-linked bond revaluations and exchange-rate movements, increased the debt stock by €3.6 billion.

Central government debt accounted for essentially the entire increase during the month.

The average residual maturity of public debt remained unchanged at 7.9 years.

The share of debt held by the Bank of Italy declined to 17.2% from 17.3% in the previous month. In April, the share held by non-residents rose to 35.7% from 35.2% previously, while the share held by other resident holders, mainly households and non-financial corporations, increased to 14.6% from 14.5%.

State budget tax revenues totaled €44.7 billion in May, up 2.6% from the same month in 2025. In the first five months of 2026, tax revenues amounted to €217.7 billion, up 2% year on year.