“Italian citizenship represents a fundamental right, sanctioned by Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 'Everyone has the right to citizenship'. A right that, however, risks becoming a privilege for the few, at least in Chieti, where the municipal administration has decided to apply a fee of 600 euros for applications for recognition of Italian citizenship.”
The councilwoman is the one who reports the situation Serena Pompilio, from the Azione Politica party, with a centrist and liberal orientation.
“The decision, established by resolution no. 671/2025, imposes the payment of this amount not to obtain citizenship, but only to submit the application, regardless of the outcome of the process. A measure that, in practice, introduces economic discrimination: those who can pay have the possibility to apply, those who do not have financial resources are excluded”, he adds.
The municipal administration's justification is that the volume of processes overwhelms the responsible department. However, according to Pompilio, only 20 requests are made annually, a number that she considers insufficient to justify the charge.
“This measure not only devalues the meaning of Italian citizenship, but also demonstrates the administration's disregard for our flag and fundamental rights. To speak of an extraordinary workload for 20 applications a year is, at the very least, ridiculous,” says Serena, who is a lawyer.
The measure raises questions about the legality of the fee and whether it can be considered an obstacle to citizenship rights. So far, the municipal administration of Chieti, in Abruzzo, did not comment on the criticism publicly.
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