SDR - Annual Report - 2024

DOCUMENTS:

> Rapport


SUMMARY:

In her last year in office, the Ombudsman Claudia Monti emphasises the need for a more humane, accessible and transparent public service, following eight years in office marked by situations that were at times tragic or administratively baffling. The report highlights recurring problems: excessive delays, decisions lacking sufficient justification, restrictive and sometimes arbitrary interpretations of the law, as well as the worrying impact of digitalisation on vulnerable people. The Ombudsman reiterates the importance of dialogue, of providing clear reasons for decisions, and of ensuring alternatives to fully digital procedures, in order to safeguard access to rights. Several government departments are commended for their efforts, whilst others are urged to better incorporate the principles of good administrative conduct, fairness and the right to make mistakes into their operations.

At an operational level, 1,455 complaints were processed in 2024, of which 585 were admissible, and nearly 90 per cent of interventions led to a full or partial rectification. The cases mainly concern immigration, housing, social assistance, social security, civil status, taxation and local authority decisions. The report highlights several emblematic cases, including refusals deemed disproportionate, significant delays in family reunification, and difficulties linked to the housing shortage. It also emphasises the need to adapt legislation — for example, regarding the identification of individuals, housing standards or rules on maintenance payments — to avoid injustices arising from imprecise or outdated legislation. The Ombudsman concludes by calling for the continued modernisation of the public service whilst preserving the human dimension at the heart of the relationship between the administration and citizens.