Italy is holding a national referendum on Sunday and Monday to propose halving the time required to apply for Italian citizenship from 10 years to five, aiming to align with most other European countries. The vote has polarized the country, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announcing a boycott and her allies calling for abstention, while activists like Sonny Olumati campaign for a 'Yes' vote, highlighting issues of belonging and discrimination for long-term foreign residents.
Italy citizenship referendum polarises country
EuropeImmigrationRomeCitizenshipItaly
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Italy is holding a national referendum on Sunday and Monday to propose halving the time required to apply for Italian citizenship from 10 years to five, aiming to align with most other European countries. The vote has polarized the country, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announcing a boycott and her allies calling for abstention, while activists like Sonny Olumati campaign for a 'Yes' vote, highlighting issues of belonging and discrimination for long-term foreign residents.
Trending- 1 2023: Italy's agriculture minister made a comment about white supremacy/racial replacement.
- 2 Last year (implied 2024): Sonny Olumati was booked for 'Fame Island' but arrived late due to paperwork issues.
- 3 Last year (implied 2024): Italy granted 217,000 citizenships.
- 4 This week: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced she would boycott the vote and abstain.
- 5 Sunday and Monday: National referendum on citizenship is being held.
- 6 Currently: Sonny Olumati's citizenship application is 'pending'.
- 7 Currently: Insaf Dimassi is studying for a PhD in Bologna.
- Up to 1.4 million people could immediately qualify for citizenship if the referendum passes.
- The referendum's validity is at risk due to potential low voter turnout.
- Continued national debate on immigration, identity, and citizenship laws.
What: A national referendum in Italy proposes to reduce the required residency period for Italian citizenship from 10 years to 5 years.
When: Sunday and Monday (referendum dates).
Where: Italy, with specific mentions of Rome and Bologna.
Why: Proponents aim to speed up citizenship for long-term foreign residents and their children, aligning Italy with other European nations and addressing feelings of rejection among those born or raised in Italy without citizenship. Opponents, including Prime Minister Meloni, argue the current law is 'excellent' and express concerns about 'selling off our citizenship' and 'racial replacement'.
How: The reform is proposed through a national referendum, which requires more than half of all eligible voters to turn out for it to be valid.