“When you are born in a country, you grow up, you study in that country, you make your first friends in that country, and then they tell you, 'No, you are not one of us. First of all, you get a disaffection to your country, then you get an identity crisis,” said Loretta Grace in an emotional video posted on TikTok.

Born in Italy to parents who were immigrants from Nigeria, the 30-year-old Italian woman represents the reality that many immigrant children face—being born and raised in Italy but still legally classified as "foreigners." Her viral TikTok video has received more than 293,000 likes, bringing attention to the emotional struggles that thousands of young people like her experience.

But with the nation's most recent citizenship referendum, there is hope for these young people. The aim of this referendum is to reduce the residency requirement to apply for citizenship by naturalization from 10 to 5 years. The most significant benefit, however, is that recipients would be able to instantly give their children their new Italian citizenship.

The 1992 Citizenship Law in Italy is the subject of this referendum; it has long been criticized as overly restrictive. Only children born to Italian parents are guaranteed citizenship under the current framework, which is based on the concept of jus sanguinis, or the "right of blood." This leaves millions of foreign-born residents and immigrant children in limbo, trying to navigate the complex and time-consuming naturalization process.

The referendum aimed to collect 500,000 signatures between September 6 and September 30, but the turnout exceeded expectations. The target was surpassed in just 19 days, with over 500,000 signatures obtained well in advance of the deadline. However, the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court must now evaluate the referendum request. If approved, a national vote requiring a minimum voter turnout of 50% may take place as early as 2025. The organizers, including the Italian Socialist Party, the +Europa party, Oxfam Italia, and ActionAid, estimate that, if passed, the reform could grant citizenship to around 2.5 million foreigners.

For others, however, the referendum is not just a question of citizenship but also of a broader issue—a general sense of identity and belonging. Marilena Delli Umhuoza, an Italian-Rwandan filmmaker and writer, has been a vocal advocate for this reform. "In Italy, you have to excel at all costs to deserve things like citizenship," she said during her weeklong presentation of people's stories on Radio Radicale with Andrea Billau. She added, “Citizenship is a right, so it is absurd that the current law is based on the purity of blood. Because of this law, almost a million young people are discriminated against, and they are denied the same right to vote.”

Her remarks align with the views of many second-generation Italians, who argue that the country's citizenship laws are discriminatory and outdated. In her video, Loretta Grace also speaks to this discrimination, saying, "I asked for citizenship when I turned eighteen and they told me no, we will not give you citizenship; you are not Italian because six months of your registered residence are missing. Then I wonder, Where do you want me to go from zero to six months if in my parents' passports it does not appear that they have traveled anywhere?”

Changing this law, however, may prove difficult under the current government. Giorgia Meloni, the current prime minister of Italy, has been staunchly opposed to any changes to the existing law. "Italian citizenship will NEVER be a right or an automatic process," Meloni tweeted in response to Cecile Kyenge, a former member of the European Parliament, who had stated that citizenship is a right that must be acknowledged for everyone in a video posted on Twitter.

Meloni is not alone in her opposition; the Lega Nord, a right-wing political party led by Matteo Salvini, has consistently resisted any changes to Italy's citizenship law. Salvini, a former Interior Minister, dismissed the need for reform, stating, “No need, no urgency to change Italy's citizenship law. Today, Italy is the European country that grants the most citizenships. There is a law; it works."

More controversially, General Vanacci, a prominent member of the anti-reform movement, pointed to Italian volleyball player Enola Egu as evidence for his claim that "we are not all born equal." In his book The World Upside Down, he argued that an Italian's identity is linked to specific racial and ethnic characteristics, saying, "She is Italian by citizenship, but it is clear that her facial features do not represent Italianness."

The conflict over Italy's citizenship law is not only about legal reform but also about the nation's identity. In a country already grappling with immigration and shifting demographics, the question of who is considered "Italian" will continue to fuel debate.

In the meantime, supporters of the referendum remain optimistic as they await judicial review. If the reform passes, it could mark a significant change in Italy's citizenship laws, allowing millions of immigrants and their children to finally call Italy home in more ways than one.

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