Ostia makes a fresh bid for autonomy.

Ostia, the coastal municipality located about 30 km south-west of Rome, could soon become independent of the Italian capital, under proposed new legislation.

The bid for independence, the latest of numerous such attempts by Ostia, was presented as a bill in parliament by the centrist politicians Ettore Rosato and Valentina Grippo.

The move, if successful, would grant autonomy to Rome's Muncipio X borough as of 1 January 2026, news outlet RomaToday reports.

The independence bid argues that Ostia "presents situations that can no longer be managed with the current administrative status" and finds itself in "a condition of strong socio-economic delay”.

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The proposal claims that the current regulatory framework does not allow Ostia to be developed to its fullest potential, and that new legislation is required to ensure quicker and more effective administrative management.

The bid also underlines poor connections with Rome, both in terms of road infrastructure and public transport, as well as "the detachment from Roma Capitale from a logistical, administrative and social point of view".

With a population of more than 230,000 people, Ostia has sought to detach itself from Rome and become a municipality of its own several times over the last three decades.

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The first attempt dates back to 1989 when a referendum was called, but failed, while a second attempt to call a referendum in 1999 did not reach the required quorum.

A third attempt got underway in 2019 but foundered due to the covid pandemic.

The new bid for independence will have to navigate technical and bureaucratic complexities as well as possible political resistance, both at local and national level.