The local committee of the Fratelli d'Italia (FdI) party, in Lazio regionThe mayor presented newly naturalized Italian citizens with a "citizenship diploma" accompanied by a small decorative bottle bearing the Italian flag. The initiative occurred just days before the municipal elections in Santa Marinella and generated immediate reactions from political opponents and regional leaders.
The distributed material bore the FdI symbol and the name of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. According to critics, the contacts made by the newly naturalized citizens originated from the electoral committee itself, not from institutional channels, according to the CivOnline portal.
"It is not a right to be handed over at party headquarters."
Giosuè De Felici, head of the Young Democrats organization in the Province of Rome, described the initiative as "serious, politically indecent, and institutionally unacceptable." He added, "Italian citizenship is not a prize to be awarded at party headquarters. It is not a..." gadgets "Electoral rights are a right, often won after years of work, study, sacrifices, bureaucracy, and endless waiting."
De Felici also questioned how the data on naturalized citizens reached the committee: “Who provided the contact information for these people? What criteria were used to select them? Was it explicitly clarified that this was not an institutional initiative?”
Mayoral candidate Mariarosaria Rossi also issued a statement. In a note, her committee stated that this is "a political use of rights by the FdI," adding that "people are not numbers" and that the action "risks compromising the reputation and credibility of the party's local leaders."
Patrizio Pacifico, secretary of the Democratic Party of CivitavecchiaThe neighboring city of Santa Marinella also commented on the controversy. “It’s right to ask for clarification: who promoted the initiative, how were the people involved contacted, and was it clearly explained that this was not an institutional act? Because Italian citizenship is not a partisan concession. It’s affiliation with the Republic. And the Republic doesn’t have an electoral logo,” said Pacifico.
Regional council member calls the episode "shameful"
Marietta Tidei, a regional councilor for the Italia Viva party, was even more forceful in a video posted on social media. “What is happening in Santa Marinella is simply shameful,” she said. “Italian citizenship is not granted by Fratelli d'Italia, it is not granted by a city councilor, and above all, it is not obtained from an electoral committee. Italian citizenship is conferred by the President of the Republic.”
At the time of publication, FdI had not publicly commented on the criticism.
