A lifting system for door leaves of furniture that swing about at least one horizontal axis between a closed position and a raised open position, the lifting system comprising a supporting body which can be connected to a fixed portion of the item of furniture, a system of articulated levers which are connected to the supporting body and to a door leaf of the item of furniture, the system of levers comprising a first lever which has an end connected rotatably to the supporting body and a second lever, the first lever and the second lever being mutually articulated at the respective other ends, and elastic actuation means, which are functionally connected to the system of articulated levers in order to generate a rotation torque for the system of levers, and further comprising elastic initial opening means.