Italy faces a citizenship crossroads as a referendum divides the nation

Key information:

• The referendum proposes reducing the residency requirement for naturalisation from 10 to 5 years, aligning Italy with many European counterparts.
• Up to 2.5 million foreign nationals living in Italy could be affected, including nearly 300,000 minors.
• Turnout must exceed 50% for the result to be valid, but public awareness is low, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for abstention.
• Proponents say the change would correct decades of exclusion, while the right-wing government accuses campaigners of "selling off" national identity.

In a pivotal moment for Italy's national identity, voters are heading to the polls to decide whether long-term foreign residents should find it easier to become citizens. The two-day referendum aims to reduce the wait time for citizenship from 10 years to five — a move that would bring Italy’s legislation closer to that of other European nations, such as Germany and France.

But while the reform could impact millions of legal residents and their families, the vote itself risks being invalidated. For the result to count, more than half of Italy’s eligible voters must participate — a threshold that appears difficult to reach amid limited media coverage and open calls for abstention by government leaders.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has voiced strong opposition, insisting Italy already has one of the most generous citizenship systems in Europe. Though she pledged to visit a polling station, Meloni has said she will not vote — a move critics label anti-democratic. "When you disagree, you also have the option of abstaining," she said during a televised appearance.

Activists argue that the current citizenship regime unfairly excludes individuals who have made significant contributions to Italian society for decades.

"They pay taxes, they abide by the laws, but they are not politically included," said Maarten Vink of the Global Citizenship Observatory.

Without formal citizenship, many residents are barred from voting, holding public office, or securing certain jobs.

The referendum is personal for people like Sonny Olumati, born in Rome to Nigerian parents but still without citizenship at 39 years old. "Not having citizenship is like being rejected from your country," said the dancer and activist. He supports the reform, but, ironically, cannot vote for it himself.

The children of migrants are also affected. Insaf Dimassi, raised in Italy since infancy, said: "Italy let me grow up and become the person I am today, so not being seen as a citizen is extremely painful and frustrating." Her parents received citizenship just after she turned 18 — too late for her to be naturalised alongside them.

Right-wing politicians, such as Roberto Vannacci of the League Party, argue that the proposal risks eroding national identity. However, progressive figures say that it's about belonging and social cohesion. "This referendum is really about dignity and the right to belong," said diversity advocate Michelle Ngonmo.

Italy’s public broadcaster RAI has faced criticism from the communications authority AGCOM for failing to provide balanced coverage of the referendum. This lack of visibility, say campaigners, is part of a broader attempt to stifle debate around immigration and identity.

Even if the vote fails to meet the required turnout, campaigners say their fight will continue. "Even if they vote 'No', we will stay here and think about the next step," said Sonny. "We have to start to talk about the place of our community in this country."

Sources: The Guardian, The New York Times