Meanwhile, youth unemployment, which covers those aged between 15 and 24, fell to 43.0 percent from 43.3 percent in April, although the rate was 0.5 percent higher than in the same month last year.
The number of working-age people in jobs grew to 55.5 percent from 55.4 percent in April, the agency said on Tuesday.
The rise in unemployment will put more pressure on Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who has started to ease labour laws in an effort to stimulate job growth.
READ MORE HERE: 'New law will encourage more full-time hiring'
Reacting to the latest figures, Susanna Camusso, leader of Italy's biggest labour union confederation CGIL, said in an interview with broadcaster Rai that there will be "no chance of real recovery without investment in creating jobs".
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