Petition for Citizenship Law Referendum Secures 500,000 Signatures Early, Paving Way for Potential Benefits to 2.5 Million Foreigners
Rome: Campaigners have successfully gathered over 500,000 signatures for a petition advocating changes to Italy’s citizenship law, prompting consideration for a national referendum. The petition, which will be closed on September 30, garnered support from various organisations, political figures, and celebrities. Currently, Italian law mandates a 10-year residency requirement for citizenship eligibility, but campaigners are advocating for a reduction to five years.
Approximately 2.5 million foreigners residing in Italy could benefit from this proposed change, many of whom have already lived in the country for over five years. As of January 1, 2023, 1,64,419 Indians are legally living in Italy. However, the ruling Brothers of Italy party, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, opposes this initiative, maintaining that the ten-year requirement is sufficient.
For the referendum to proceed, it must be approved by two of Italy’s highest courts, and a minimum voter turnout of 50% is necessary for the results to be valid. Presently, individuals born in Italy cannot apply for citizenship until they turn 18, although children automatically gain citizenship if their parents become citizens.
Under the existing law, migrants can acquire Italian citizenship after ten years of residency or after two years if married to an Italian citizen. The migrant population in Italy and the EU is growing, driven by factors such as irregular migration, asylum-seeking, and labour shortages.
Eurostat data indicates that 22% of individuals aged 15 to 74 in the EU are either foreign-born or descendants of foreign-born individuals. Among native-born individuals with two foreign-born parents, 86% have obtained citizenship, while 39% remain residents.
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