Europe's economic crisis has reduced formal economic activity and regular employment in Italy. However, irregular economic activities have proved resilient. The irregular economy is a serious challenge for Rome because it limits the government's ability to reduce its deficit and improve its budgetary situation. But at the same time, irregular activities are helping some Italians mitigate the effects of the recession and therefore are staving off the widespread social unrest that has been seen in other eurozone peripheral countries. Maintaining a balance between the economic needs of the central government and its social and political constraints will be one of the main challenges in the final months of the technocratic government of Prime Minister Mario Monti. In general terms, the informal economy includes a range of "off-the-books" activities, from undeclared jobs to tax evasion or underreporting of revenue.