Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the country is ready for a reform of the rules for granting citizenship, amid the debate on restrictions on the principle of “jus sanguinis” (“right of blood”) and the creation of “jus italiae” (“Italian law”).
“Italy is not only ready for this change, our country has already changed and we must ensure that the rules adapt to a new context, profoundly different from that of 30 years ago,” said the chancellor in an interview with Folha published this Tuesday (8), as he begins a visit to Brazil.
“The concept of citizenship must be based on belonging to a community, with all the rights and duties. This implies common values, of which linguistic and cultural values are fundamental,” he stressed.
The bill, presented by Tajani's Forza Italia (FI) party, would prevent Italians whose parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were born outside the European country from obtaining citizenship "jus sanguinis". There is currently no generational limit.
On the other hand, it would create the “jus italiae”, which provides for the granting of citizenship to foreigners born in Italy or who arrived in the country before their fifth birthday, when they turn 16, but provided that they have resided on Italian soil for an uninterrupted decade and completed their school cycle up to that age range.
“We must take into account that, for many descendants, there has been no relationship with Italy for many years. These possible changes respond to the same need: to give due value to the founding concept of citizenship, ensuring that there is, above all, a sharing of cultural values,” explained Tajani.HANDLE)
