A rare public rift emerged within Italy’s governing coalition following Forza Italia’s proposal to expand citizenship rights for children of immigrants, triggering sharp disagreements between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her deputy premiers, Euractiv reported.
The dispute centres on the Ius Italiae bill championed by Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, whose Forza Italia party (EPP) seeks to grant citizenship to foreign-born minors who had completed at least ten years of education in Italy with consistent academic achievement.
Prime Minister Meloni moved swiftly to quell the debate, asserting:
If I may give some advice, it would be good for everyone to focus on the government’s priorities. This [the citizenship law] is not part of the programme.
Tajani, however, publicly contradicted the premier, insisting the initiative remains “fully in line” with the coalition’s integration pledges, directly challenging Meloni’s stance.
Even Brothers of Italy supported this in the last legislature.
The reform faces vehement opposition from coalition partner Lega (Patriots for Europe), led by fellow Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini. Lega MP Stefano Candiani denounced the proposal, saying that “it is paradoxical that, whilst the Democratic Party remains silent after its defeat, it is Forza Italia pushing to make citizenship more accessible to foreigners.”
There are other priorities right now. Tajani should come to terms with that.
This positioning aligns with Lega’s longstanding national-oriented agenda opposing immigration liberalisation.
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte condemned Fratelli d’Italia, Lega, and Forza Italia for new taxes on citizens.
Let’s recap: Fratelli d’Italia, Lega, and Forza Italia signed an amendment to raise highway tolls at the tollbooth starting August 1st, right in the middle of the holidays: not an automatic increase but a very specific proposal of theirs to dump taxes and levies on citizens.
Conte also called to “keep our guard up with this government of cuts and taxes,“ saying that while Italian families are “already struggling to make ends meet,” the government’s investments “are all reserved for rearmament.”
