Tajani Hails Senate Approval of Citizenship Reform

Rome: Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed satisfaction on Thursday after the Senate approved a decree presented by his ministry reforming the rules on obtaining Italian citizenship via ancestry.

According to Ansa News Agency, the decree introduces a principle that Italian descendants born abroad will automatically be citizens for only two generations. This means that only those with at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy will be citizens from birth. The reform passed the Senate with 81 votes in favor and 37 against, and it will now move to the Lower House for further consideration.

Tajani emphasized the significance of the Senate’s approval, stating, “The vote with which the Senate approved the ‘citizenship decree’ is very important.” He elaborated that the measure aims to restore dignity and meaning to a right that should be based on an authentic bond with Italy, encompassing cultural, civic, and identity-based elements rather than merely bureaucratic ones.

The reform, Tajani highlighted, is designed to ensure that citizenship is a serious and conscious recognition, confirmed through commitment. He stressed that the reform introduces more selective and transparent criteria, strengthening the integrity of the system and preventing abuses. The minister noted that this move seeks to prevent the ‘commercialisation’ of Italian passports and allocate resources to enhance the efficiency of consular services.