The Ius soli, the law that extends the right of citizenship to those born on Italian territory even if of foreign parents (albeit under certain conditions), is trying to overcome the last hurdle of the Senate, where Matteo Salvini's League yesterday unleashed the tussle against the provision, which cost the Minister of Education, Valeria Fedeli of the Pd, a slight contusion.
If approved, the legislation becomes more tolerant: until before the law recognized only the ius sanguinis, now instead they will be "new Italians" also the sons of gforeign parents residing for at least five years in Italy, of which at least one in possession of the European Union permit for long-term residents (non-EU citizens) or the "right of permanent residence" (EU citizens)". This new right is called ius soli temperate.
The formula launched with the reform, which had been at a standstill in the Senate for two years, however also provides for the condition of jus culturae: the beneficiary is therefore “the foreign minor, who was born in Italy or who entered there before the twelfth year of age. He acquires citizenship by right, if he has regularly attended (pursuant to current legislation) a training course for at least five years in the national territory”. The declaration of the will to acquire Italian citizenship must be expressed by at least one parent before the person concerned reaches the age of majority.
So how many people will be affected by the new measure? According to Istat data as of 1 January 2016, there are around 1 million foreign minors in Italy, more than a fifth of the total foreign population. According to calculations the immediate beneficiaries could be around 800 thousand in total, of which 634.592 are minors of parents who have been resident for at least five years (ius soli temperate), and another 166 estimated on the basis of the ius culturae, i.e. pupils born abroad - or in Italy - who have already completed 5 years of school in Italy.
In the future there may be even more beneficiaries of the new law, which could help reverse the course of the population decline in Italy. Indeed, in 2016, according to Istat data, there were 69 thousand foreigners born in Italy, 14% of the national total. The balance of the foreign population in the last year is +63 thousand units, while that of the Italian population is -204 thousand units.
The Government could place the trust to pass the law which currently can count on the yes of 98 Pd senators, 16 of the Mdp, 24 of the Ap (but not of Maurizio Sacconi) and about 25 between the Mixed Group and Autonomies. After the anti-Roma turnaround and new relations with the League, Beppe Grillo has decided that the senators of the 5 Star Movement abstain (which in the Senate is equivalent to voting against).
