The Italian government has managed to anger Italian descendants and mayors in one fell swoop by centralizing citizenship processes in Rome. The final approval of the bill, which took place on Wednesday (14), made official the creation of an administrative “funnel” which promises to relieve the burden on consulates, but which, in practice, was received as a "cold shower" by those on the front lines of the service.
The new structure, linked to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will take over the analysis of applications made outside of Italy starting in 2029.The stated objective is to standardize the criteria and limit the number of annual processes.
Frustration in municipalities
What mayors hoped would be a relief for small Italian towns has turned out to be a disappointment. Even with the transfer of the analysis to Rome, municipalities will remain burdened with transcribing civil status documents and registering births.
In an interview with the newspaper The morning, from Padua, this Saturday (17), the director of the National Association of Italian Municipalities (Anci), Carlo RapicavoliHe stated that "for the mayors, nothing changes."
“The new rules do not modify the powers of municipalities and the judicial authority regarding the recognition of citizenship. The new law, in fact, only reduces the responsibilities of consulates, which will continue to certify the citizenship status of already recognized residents and to validate the citizenship of minor children of recognized citizens,” he said.
The news of procedural reform had initially generated hope among mayors, who were confident that centralization would also have positive effects on local authorities.
Among the managers who are on the front lines of leading these processes, there have been expressions of disappointment, such as that of the mayor of Val di Zoldo, Camillo De Pellegrin.
“There was a sign of interest from the government, but only in relation to the consulates. We continue to deal with appeals, formal notifications and decrees. As local authorities, at this moment, we are awaiting the outcome of the appeal to the Constitutional Court, which should be decided in March,” he stated.
If the Constitutional Court declares the unconstitutionality of the Tajani LawAs expected behind the scenes, the previous rules will be reinstated.
Impact on descendants
For people of Italian descent, the change represents a tightening of the administrative process. With an annual limit on applications, mandatory submission of paper documents, and a possible increase in the rigor of the analysis, the concern is that recognition of citizenship will become even more inaccessible for those who cannot resort to the courts.
Legal action is likely to remain the primary avenue for many applicants, as the obstacle of consular access remains unchanged, now centralized in a single location.
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