Citizenship referendum in Italy: What is at stake? | Civil rights news

The fate of millions of immigrants at stake, where the Italians vote in A. Two -day referendum This suggests accelerating the citizenship process for foreigners who entered the country legally.

The referendum also seeks to re -repair work repairs to provide enhanced work protection.

The polling stations were opened on Sunday at 7 am local time (05:00 GMT), with results expected after opinion polls were closed on Monday at 3 pm (13:00 GMT).

The measures-supported by opposition parties, trade unions and social activists-aims to review the laws of citizenship to help the Italians of the second generation born in the country, for non-European parents, to integrate more easily.

However, voting may fail to generate sufficient turnout to be considered valid – more than 50 percent is required for the referendum to be legally obligated.

Before the end of this week’s vote, the issue of citizenship got a lot of attention in a country where concerns about the scope of immigration helped to push the coalition of the right -wing Prime Minister Georgia Miloni to power in late 2022. Immigration appeared as a major issue, especially in Western Europe as well as in the United States under President Donald Trump.

So, what is the referendum proposes, and what does it mean for immigrants whose lives are forgetting because of the slow process of naturalization in the European Union member state?

What are the requirements of Italian citizenship, and how many immigrants are waiting for citizenship?

The question is asked in the Italian voting paper whether they reduce the period of residence required to apply for Italian citizenship, by naturalization, from 10 years to five years.

The referendum’s change of approximately 1.5 million foreigners to obtain citizenship immediately, according to estimates by IDOS, an Italian research center. This would include nearly 300,000 palace, who will obtain citizenship if their parents do.

About half of Italy’s 5.4 million people can be qualified to apply for citizenship if voting is approved.

The vote comes as Meloni was Tension Laws, which makes it difficult for resident immigrants to obtain citizenship.

Currently, migrants from countries outside the European Union cannot apply for citizenship only after 10 years of residence without interruption in Italy.

What’s more, legal immigrant children can apply for passports only once they are 18 years old and if they live in the country from birth.

On the other hand, generous blood line laws allowed people of Italian origin, even if it is far, obtaining citizenship, and helping to keep a link with the diaspora.

Between 2016 and 2023, for example, Italy gave citizenship to more than 98,300 people, most of whom live in Latin America, based on their allegations of Italian origin.

With the low birth in Italy, economists say the country needs to attract more foreigners to enhance its anemia economy.

Francesco Galliti, of Sonar’s political risk policy, told Reuters that maintaining these narrow rules was a “identity issue” for Meloni, but it was also pushed by companies to open the borders of an old country for foreign workers.

“On the one hand, there is a letter of cultural identity, but on the other hand, there are possible problems that drive pensions and the economy that depends on manufacturing, which needs workers,” said Ghaliti.

As for the context, the Italian constitution allows citizens to abolish the laws through referendums, which are part of the system of checks and balances that were placed after the fascist Benito Mussolini rule in the 1940s.

What are the other proposals in the referendum?

The referendum seeks to make the shooting of workers and increase compensation for those who have been placed by small companies, which reflects a previous law approved by the center of the center of the center a decade ago.

One of the questions related to the poll also addresses the urgent issue of security security, which restores the shared responsibility of both contractors and subcontractors to the workplace.

Activists have collected more than 4.5 million signatures, according to the Italian General Confederation of Employment (CGIL), much more than the need to raise the referendum, which will consist of five questions – four in the labor market and citizenship.

“We want the opposite of a culture that has given the priority of the interests of work on the interests of workers,” Cgil MAURIZIO Landini told news agency.

Who supports the referendum and why?

The referendum was promoted by a relatively small political parties – more Europe, the Italian Socialist Party, Italian radicals, the Communist Rehabilitation Party – and many civil society associations.

It is also supported by the Democratic Party in the center, which is competing for the laws of Italian citizenship to be more compatible with the standards at the European Union level.

Research shows that access to citizenship has positive causal effects.

Immigrants who undertake low unemployment rates, and earn a higher and less likely income that are qualified for their jobs.

In contrast, prolonged waiting periods for delaying naturalization or mitigating these effects.

These results support the claim that naturalization is not just a reward, but also an important catalyst for integration.

The majority of Italians believe that nationality speeds up the integration process as well.

The last Eurobarometry scale reports on the integration of migrants that 87 percent of Italians believe that obtaining citizenship is an important factor for successful integration of immigrants in Italy.

However, even if it passed, reform will not affect the law that many consider very unfair – that children born in Italy for foreign parents cannot seek citizenship until they reach 18 years.

Will the PM Meloni returns to the rules of new citizenship?

The left -wing and medium parties, civil society groups and the leading union collected workers ’rights and demographic problems in Italy as a way to challenge the right -wing coalition government in Meloni.

Meloni said that it will appear in the polls but does not indicate a ballot – a step that has been widely criticized from the left as an anti -democracy, because it will not help in reaching the threshold necessary to make the vote valid.

Activists and opposition parties condemned the absence of a public debate about these measures, accusing the ruling coalition in the center of trying to reduce interest in sensitive issues that directly affect migrants and workers.

Last month, an opinion poll is estimated at the Demobolis Institute that the turnout will be in the range of 31-39 percent among about 50 million voters in Italy, which is much lower than the required threshold.

The leaders of two right -wing parties in the ruling coalition, Antonio Tajani from Forza Italy and Matteo Salvini from the league voting.

Salvini, Deputy Prime Minister in Italy, said in May that the referendum is “dangerous” and will extend to citizenship “randomly.”

How important is the referendum?

Supporters say this reform will bring the law of citizenship in Italy in line with many other European countries, which enhances more social integration of the population in the long run.

It will also be allowed to reach faster civil and political rights, such as the right to vote, eligibility for public action and freedom of movement within the European Union.

Italy also faces one of the most severe demographic crises in Europe.

Its population is progressing rapidly, with about a quarter of the Italians over the age of 65 and only 12 percent aged between 14 years or less. The referendum can reduce some of these pressures.