A heated exchange, lots of provocations and lots of discussion. That was the scene at the Foreign Relations Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, in Rome, this Wednesday (15).
The group debates a Possible change to Italian Citizenship Law, created on February 5, 1992.
The new rules, with a unified text, were suggested by deputies Matteo Orfini, Laura Boldrini and Francesca La Marca (both from Democratic party), Renata Polverini and Fucsia Nissoli (both from Força Itália), Eugenio Sangregorio (USEI) and Elisa Siragusa (Movimento 5 Estrelas).
Among the changes is the generational limitation. In Siragusa's proposal, only grandchildren and children of Italians would have the right to Italian citizenship. If approved, the new law would affect millions of people of Italian descent.
The Supreme Court reaffirmed: citizenship is born with the person.
- New legal front opened
- Processes can still be filed.
- Individual assessment before any decision.
And it was precisely this issue that infuriated deputy Roberto Lorenzato, from the League party. “You on the left always try to touch on us, incidentally, who are also Italians. You are ignorant”, said the parliamentarian, addressing Mrs Boldrini, from the left-wing party.
“You are not Italian because you were born in Italian territory, but because your ancestor lived in 1865, when the Italian Civil Code was established in this house. You are like me, a third or fourth generation Italian citizen”, said Lorenzato.
"Not even Leonardo da Vinci was Italian, as at the time he was born in Granducato in Tuscany. Italy was born in 1871″, he recalled.
At another point, the Italian-Brazilian parliamentarian cited the welcome given to Italian immigrants. “When millions of peasants fled the war to Brazil, they were welcomed with open arms. Brazil created a mutual law where any Brazilian could have access to free healthcare in Italy.”
Lorenzato also attacked the consulates in Brazil. “The Italian mafia in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro created a legal monster, the 'Italian waiting list', which does not exist in any other country. You gave guidance to the Italian State Attorney's Office to neglect its own people. You say we are (Italian right-wing party) against immigrants, but you are against your own children. You are of a very low level”, the deputy shouted.
At certain points, the session's chair needed to calm nerves. The most heated moment was when he compared the Savoy invasion of Rome to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, which caused a great uproar in the room.
Finally, deputy Lorenzato challenged his colleagues. “If you have this power, then change the law with the help of your legal colleagues. I emphasize that if this house changes the law, 32 million Brazilians who are Italian will not lose their citizenship”, he concluded.
