By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Italy’s Constitutional Court has indicated it will uphold a new law restricting citizenship for those born abroad, a decision that reverses the country’s long-standing principle of citizenship by descent, or *ius sanguinis*. This controversial 2025 law limits citizenship to individuals with an Italian-born parent or grandparent, and requires that parent or grandparent to have held sole Italian citizenship at the time of the descendant’s birth. The ruling is seen as a blow to the vast Italian diaspora who have historically relied on the principle of *ius sanguinis* to claim citizenship, and may hinder efforts to repopulate aging Italian towns. While some lawyers believe legal battles may continue at the EU level or through Italy’s highest court, this decision marks a significant shift in Italian citizenship policy.
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It appears that Italy has recently enacted a ruling that significantly alters the landscape of citizenship by descent, impacting millions of individuals worldwide who have Italian roots. The core of this change, as reported by CNN, is a shift in the eligibility criteria, moving away from a very broad interpretation of *jus sanguinis* (right of blood) to a more restrictive model. This means that many individuals who previously believed they had a straightforward path to Italian citizenship based on distant ancestry may now find themselves ineligible.
This ruling has understandably caused a stir, particularly among those with strong ties, however distant, to Italy. The sentiment seems to be that the previous system was too lenient, allowing individuals to claim citizenship with very little tangible connection to the country. Many of these claims were based on ancestors who left Italy generations ago, perhaps even in the late 1800s, and who had no subsequent interaction with Italian administration or culture. The perceived absurdity of this was that obtaining citizenship could be relatively quick and effortless for these individuals, often without even needing to speak Italian or having ever set foot in Italy.
In contrast, the input suggests that people who were living, working, and paying taxes in Italy, sometimes for over a decade, faced considerably more arduous processes to gain citizenship. There’s a palpable frustration expressed by those who witnessed immigrants genuinely integrating into Italian society, learning the language, and contributing to the economy, yet still struggling with lengthy bureaucratic hurdles for citizenship. This created a sense of unfairness, where those with a deep, lived experience in Italy were disadvantaged compared to those with only a genealogical link.
The new law, as described, appears to narrow the scope considerably, requiring at least an Italian grandparent to claim citizenship. Even then, some opinions suggest that this might still be insufficient if there hasn’t been any prior work or residency in Italy. This recalibration aims to address what many perceived as a significant loophole that was ripe for abuse. The ease with which individuals could obtain an EU passport through Italian citizenship, often with no intention of residing in Italy but rather to access better job markets in other European countries, became a point of contention.
There’s a strong feeling that this change is about closing a door on what was essentially “passport farming.” The influx of requests for citizenship, particularly from countries like Brazil, is highlighted as evidence of the system being overwhelmed and exploited. Stories are shared about individuals arriving with little to no Italian language skills, yet attempting to engage with the Italian system, sometimes even to vote in local elections. This practice is seen by many as a circumvention of broader immigration policies within the European Union, and it’s noted that it’s surprising the EU itself didn’t intervene sooner.
The anecdotal evidence paints a picture of a system that was not only being misused but was also creating an unequal playing field. For instance, individuals who had lived in Italy for many years, attended school, worked, and paid taxes often faced lengthy delays and bureaucratic nightmares in their pursuit of citizenship, while others with distant familial ties could acquire it more readily. This disparity fueled the feeling that the system needed reform.
The recent ruling appears to align Italy’s approach more closely with that of other European nations, which often have stricter requirements for citizenship by descent. The idea is that while *jus sanguinis* is a valid principle, it should be balanced with a more tangible connection to the country. The previous system, according to many accounts, allowed for claims based on ancestors who left Italy in the late 1800s, effectively granting citizenship without any real link to modern Italy.
Furthermore, there’s a perspective that this change is also a response to a broader issue of global migration and the economic realities facing Italy. The country, like many others in Europe, is grappling with a declining birth rate and an aging population. While the immediate impact might be perceived as exclusionary, particularly by those in countries like the United States, Argentina, and Brazil, the underlying intention seems to be to ensure that citizenship is granted to those who have a more meaningful connection to Italy, or who intend to contribute to its society and economy.
The discussion also touches on the nature of citizenship and belonging. Some express the view that modern Italians are increasingly those who are born and raised in Italy, irrespective of their ancestry, and that they are the ones who truly contribute to the nation’s fabric. This contrasts with the “modern *jus sanguinis*-enabled passport grabbing Italians” who, in this view, are primarily interested in the benefits of an EU passport rather than a genuine connection to Italy itself.
In essence, this ruling signals a significant shift in Italy’s citizenship policy, aiming to rectify a system perceived as overly permissive and prone to abuse. It’s a move towards a more defined and, arguably, more equitable approach to granting citizenship by descent, with the hope of strengthening the country’s identity and addressing its demographic and economic challenges.