The Lower House whip of Premier
Giorgia Meloni's party Brothers of Italy (FdI), Tommaso Foti,
told the Agorà program of State broadcaster RAI's third channel
on Thursday that a citizenship reform is not part of the
government's program nor of single parties in the majority
coalition.
"Electors voted a program: it is legitimate to discuss issues
outside the program, but there is reasonable doubt to believe
that this is a topic reflecting the opposition to sow
confusion", Foti said, speaking about proposed changes to the
current legislation, referred to as 'ius soli' (in Latin, law of
the soil), and 'ius scholae' (In Latin, law of the right to
study).
On Wednesday, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio
Tajani, leader of Forza Italia (FI), told Rome daily La
Repubblica that "Italy has changed" and needs a citizenship
reform, while acknowledging that his government partners -
Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI) and Deputy Premier and
Transport Minister Matteo Salvini's League party - are not in
favour of a change.
Forza Italia has outlined a roadmap to draft a proposal in
September to change the current legislation, with the support of
opposition parties Azione, Italia Viva and the Five-Star
Movement (M5S).
The opposition Democratic Party (PD) is less keen on Forza
Italia's idea of a 'ius scholae' which would potentially grant
citizenship to foreign minors who have completed one or two
cycles of studies rather than the 'ius soli' it is championing.
However, it has signalled that it is open to discuss changes to
the current law - under which second generation immigrants can
apply to become Italian citizens after they have turned 18.
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