Forza Italia open to citizenship reform

Tension in majority over 'ius scholae'

By: ansa.it

Aug 18 2024
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Forza Italia open to citizensh

Forza Italia (FI) has expressed willingness to consider a reform on citizenship, outlining a roadmap to draft a proposal in September to change the current legislation, with the support of opposition parties Azione, Italia Viva and the Five-Star Movement (M5S).
    The main opposition party, the Democratic Left, is less keen on Forza Italia's idea of a 'ius scholae' (in Latin, law of the right to study) which would potentially grant citizenship to foreign minors who have completed one or two cycles of studies rather than the 'ius soli' it is championing (in Latin, law of the soil) under which those born in Italy would be Italian.
    Members have however signalled that they are open to changes to the current law - under which second generation immigrants can apply to become Italian citizens after they have turned 18 - with PD MEP Giorgio Gori saying "the objective remains ius soli, but Forza Italia's opening on ius scholae, if it becomes official, is worthy of full consideration".
    On Sunday, Fulvio Martuscello, Forza Italia's whip in the European Parliament, said "ius scholae can become a European model".
    He added that "common rules" in Europe are "necessary for everybody to avoid uncontrolled migration".
    "If the rules to obtain citizenship were to become common for all of Europe, there wouldn't be a race to reach Italy, or Denmark or any other country".
    A day earlier, Paolo Emilio Russo, FI's whip in the Lower House's constitutional affairs commission, said his party's whips and leader Antonio Tajani, the deputy premier and foreign minister, would meet at the beginning of September to discuss the issue and write a draft proposal.
    Maurizio Lupi, leader of the conservative Noi Moderati, also said Sunday that he was "in favour of granting citizenship to the offspring of foreigners who have completed two cycles of studies in Italy".
    Meanwhile, the deputy president of the Lower House Sergio Costa of M5S on Sunday wrote in a post on social media that "ius scholae is a just reform and represents a fair, inclusive and fundamental solution to respond to the needs of a society that is increasingly more multicultural and integrated".
    However, the League party in the majority coalition is against changing the ongoing legislation and has said in a statement issued a few days ago that "there is not need for a 'ius soli' or shortcuts".
    Premier Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI) party has not shown interest in changing the current legislation.
    Without mentioning the proposal, Tommaso Foti, FdI's whip in the Lower House, warned coalition members to "avoid divisions over themes which the left considers fundamental today, except carefully ignoring them when they were in the majority".