Let's Dive into the Italian Referendum on Loosening Citizenship Rules
Key points about the Italian citizenship referendum:
Italians are gearing up for a landmark referendum that will reshape their citizenship rules. Here's a lowdown on the upcoming vote to see if you're up-to-date.
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The votes are set for June 8th and 9th, where Italians get to decide on a proposal to cut the residency requirement for non-EU nationals seeking Italian citizenship in half.
Seven Things You Need to Know
1. It's Just for Non-EU BIES
The proposal lookin' to lop off half of the current 10-year residency requirement for non-EU nationals, turnin' them Italian in just five years instead. Thing is, this doesn't apply to EU nationals, who continue to score citizenship after four years of legal residency.
2. Other Requirements Remain Unchanged
The only change on the radar is the residency part. All other existing requirements, like proving Italian language proficiency (Passing the B1 test), demonstrating income, and a clean criminal record, stay put.
3. The Reform Won't Affect Ancestry or Marriage Claims
This doesn't touch the two other routes to Italian citizenship—heritage or matrimonial ties.
4. Not Associated with Recent Descent Application Crackdown
The tickle for easin' up citizenship rules ain't comin' from the government but from the centrist party, +Europa. In fact, this ain't got nothin' to do with the government's recent tightenin' of citizenship by descent applications.
5. Reading Material You Might Be Interested In
- How's the Italian Referendum on Citizenship Rules Workin'?
- Over 1.4 Mil' Could Claim Italian Citizenship if Referendum Passes
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6. The Vote Needs 50% Turnout to Count
For this referendum to actually mean somethin', at least 50% of eligible voters gotta cast their votes. If the quorum, or the minimum voter count needed, ain't met, the referendum's a no-go, regardless of the outcome.
7. Approximately 1.4 Million Residents Will Benefit
If the referendum passes, around 1 out of 4 foreigners residing in Italy stands to profit from the reform in the short term. However, this is lower than the initial estimate of 2.5 million by groups supporting the referendum.
The Government's Not Here for It
The government's not the one propositioning this referendum; it's the work of the centrist opposition party, +Europa. The current coalition, which opposes the reform, is actively encouragein' supporters to boycott the vote to keep the quorum from bein' reached.
INSIGHT: As of 2025, around 51 million Italians are eligible to participate in the vote. So, a turnout of 25.5 million is required for the referendum to be valid.
INSIGHT: If passed, the reform could potentially affect around 2.5 million non-EU nationals living in Italy, but economists suggest that minimum income requirements and dual citizenship restrictions could exclude around 700,000 of them from eligibility.
Stay Updated!
For all the latest news, advice, and tactics about nabbin' that sweet Italian citizenship, check out our citizenship section.
- Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the centrist party +Europa, is advocating for a citizenship referendum in Italy, aiming to reduce the residency requirement for non-EU nationals seeking Italian citizenship from 10 years to 5 years.
- The proposed change in citizenship laws will not affect EU nationals, who can still become Italian after 4 years of legal residency.
- Apart from the residency requirement, the existing qualifications for Italian citizenship, such as proficiency in Italian language, demonstrating income, and a clean criminal record, remain unchanged.
- This reform is independent of the recent government crackdown on citizenship by descent applications.
- The referendum is scheduled to take place on June 8th and 9th, but it will only be valid if at least 50% of eligible voters cast their votes.
- If passed, approximately 1.4 million non-EU residents in Italy could benefit from the reduced residency requirement in the short term.
- The current Italian government opposes the proposed reform and is encouraging supporters to boycott the vote to prevent the quorum from being reached.
