Premier Paolo Gentiloni said
Thursday that his government remains committed to the 'Ius Soli'
bill that would grant citizenship to migrant children born on
Italian soil who have completed five years in the Italian
school.
The bill has stalled in the Senate amid staunch opposition
from right-wing parties, upsetting some parts of the ruling
coalition.
"It's still summer, the commitment we talked about remains,"
Gentiloni said in response to a question on the bill. õ
"It's a job to do".
The Progressive and Democratic Movement (MDP), a junior
partner in Gentiloni's coalition, on Wednesday threatened not to
vote in favour of the 2018 budget law after the Ius Soli bill
was not be put on the schedule for the September because it does
not have enough support in the Upper House.
The bill is opposed, as well as by rightwing populist and
centre-right conservative parties, by the another junior
coalition partner, the centre-right Popular Area (AP), led by
Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano.
Matteo Orfini, the president of Gentiloni's Democratic Party
(PD), on Thursday called on the government to put the bill to a
confidence vote, saying that otherwise the legislation would be
"killed off".
AP Lower House whip Maurizio Lupi said his party's ministers
would not allow such a move.
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