There could have been no worse time to submit to Parliament the proposed law aimed at restricting Italian citizenship: with Antonio Tajani in Brazilian lands.
Coincidence or premeditated message?
The visit of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs to Brazil, which was supposed to focus on strengthening trade relations between the two countries, was marked by the coincidence of announcement of the proposed law ius italiae, presented by Forza Italia, the party of which Tajani is a member, this Wednesday (10).
The proposal suggests significant changes to the recognition of Italian citizenship, limiting the right to descendants of Italians born outside of Italy.
Although Tajani was not directly involved in the proposal's protocol during the trip, the coincidence between his visit to Brazil and the announcement of the measure raises suspicions.
Many believe that the timing The proposal was intentional, as a way of sending a clear message to the Italian diaspora, especially Brazilians, who maintain a long and strong connection with the European country.
If approved, this new proposed law will directly affect thousands of descendants who claim Italian citizenship based on the principle of right of blood (jure sanguinis), especially in Brazil and Argentina.
The new law would exclude descendants whose parents, grandparents or great-grandparents were born outside Italy, drastically limiting the number of people eligible for citizenship recognition.
While the proposed law aims to ensure that Italian citizens are more integrated into Italian culture and society, it also disregards the strong historical and emotional ties that many descendants from this side of the country have with Italy. The idea of a “real Italianness” promoted by the future law sounds to many like exclusionary rhetoric.
It is hard not to think that the presentation of the proposal during Tajani's visit to Brazil is more than a coincidence. After all, Tajani is an active advocate of a review of the citizenship law.
