Italians vote over two days starting on Sunday on referendums that would make it easier for children born in Italy to foreigners to obtain citizenship, and on providing more job protections. But apparent low public awareness risks rendering the vote invalid if turnout is not high enough.
Campaigners for the change in the citizenship law say it will help second-generation Italians born in the country to non-European Union parents better integrate into a culture they already see as theirs.
Italian singer Ghali, who was born in Milan to Tunisian parents, urged people to vote in an online post, noting that the referendum risks failure if at least 50 percent plus one of the eligible voters don't turn out.
“I was born here, I always lived here, but I only received citizenship at the age of 18,’’ Ghali said, urging a yes vote to reduce the residency requirement from 10 to five years.
The new rules, if passed, could affect about 2.5 million foreign nationals who still struggle to be recognised as citizens.
The measures were proposed by Italy’s main union and left-wing opposition parties.
Premier Giorgia Meloni has said she would show up at the polls but not cast a ballot — an action widely criticised by the left as antidemocratic, since it will not help reach the necessary threshold to make the vote valid.
Lack of public debate
Rights at stake Supporters say this reform would bring Italy’s citizenship law in line with many other European countries, promoting greater social integration for long-term residents. It would also allow faster access to civil and political rights, such as the right to vote, eligibility for public employment and freedom of movement within the EU.
Activists and opposition parties also denounced the lack of public debate on the measures, accusing the governing centre-right coalition of trying to dampen interest in sensitive issues that directly impact immigrants and workers.
In May, Italy’s AGCOM communications authority lodged a complaint against RAI state television and other broadcasters for a lack of adequate and balanced coverage.
The four other referendums aim to roll back labour reforms, making it harder to fire some workers and increase compensation for those laid off by small businesses, reversing a previous law passed by a centre-left government a decade ago.
One of the questions on the ballot also addresses the urgent issue of security at work, restoring joint liability to both contractors and subcontractors for workplace injuries.
Many expected to abstain from voting Opinion polls published in mid-May showed that only 46 percent of Italians were aware of the issues driving the referendums. Turnout projections were even weaker for a vote scheduled for the first weekend of Italy's school holidays, at around 35 percent of around 50 million electors, well below the required quorum.
Some analysts note however that the centre-left opposition could claim a victory even if the referendum fails on condition that the turnout surpasses the 12.3 million voters who backed the winning centre-right coalition in the 2022 general election.
