ROME -- The historic Quirinal Palace, one of the three official residences of the Italian President, costs more than double of the Queen of England’s residences, Il Fatto Quotidiano reports Tuesday.

 The English Royal family appear far superior to the Italian government in austerity and grandeur, yet it seems that the ‘Quirinale’ is actually more expensive in terms of expenses.

 The numbers speak for themselves. In 2015, 36 million euros were spent on expenses for the functioning of the Presidency.

 Back in 2006, salaries reserved for President Ciampi and then for President Napolitano were at around 218,000 euros per year. At the service of the President of the Republic there were 987 people on hand, with 85 full time collaborators. Military protection costed 160 million euros and each employer received 74,000 euros a year on average.

 Nowadays, the salary for the President of the Republic sits at around 240,000 euros. Salaries for employees in the Palazzo Chigi, noble residence of the Italian Prime Minister, have increased by 45 percent since 2005. 

 In 2014, the British Crown costed for its contributors much less than the Italian President of the Republic, taking 50.8 million euros of contribution from its subjects, not including funds allocated for security.

 These figures come 10 years after the publication of the book which exposed the extent of the wealth and privilege of the Italian government, entitled, ‘The Clique. How Italian politicians are becoming untouchable,” written by Corriere della Serajournalists Sergio Rizzo and Gian Antonio Stella.

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