Italian citizenship is one of the most sensitive issues for millions of descendants around the world, but who are the faces — and the votes — that decide the future of this right in Rome?
Currently, 12 parliamentarians are elected from outside Italy: 8 deputies and 4 senators representing Italian communities in America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. South America is represented by two deputies and one senator.
A detailed survey based on data from transparency platform OpenPolis This reveals that the distance between the voter and the elected parliamentarian in the diaspora can be greater than the oceans that separate them.
Currently 19th LegislatureThe parliamentary reliability index and attendance rates have become the new barometers for measuring who actually occupies a seat in Parliament and who is merely a name on the list of absences.
The abyss of South America: Tirelli against Porta
The most striking fact involves the deputy. Franco Tirelli (MAY)Representing one of the world's most vibrant electoral districts, South America, Tirelli has an absenteeism rate of 54,4%.
In practical terms, he did not participate in more than half of the electronic votes in Rome. With a parliamentary reliability of only 43,8%, the deputy justifies few of his absences as "official missions" (only 1,6%), leaving a vacuum of representation at decisive moments.
In contrast, his colleague from the same constituency and opposing party, the deputy Fabio Porta (PD)Porta maintains a physical attendance rate of 71,4% and a much lower absenteeism rate of 24,7%. Porta also presents a higher volume of legislative output, with 7 projects presented as the first signatory, compared to Tirelli's 5.
European efficiency and the challenge of distance.
Proximity to Rome seems to favor those elected by Europe. Simone Billi (Lega) e Toni Ricciardi (PD) They boast the strongest approval ratings in the Chamber, with reliability indexes of 88,4% and 86,3%, respectively. Billi stands out for his very low absenteeism rate (5%), while Ricciardi is one of the most assiduous parliamentarians in plenary sessions. (83,1% attendance).
However, distance is not always an excuse. Christian Di Sanzo (PD)The representative elected from North America maintains a physical presence of 62,8% without registering a single official mission, surpassing in attendance parliamentarians who live much closer to the Italian capital.
The Senate: Missions as a Strategy
In the Senate, the dynamic changes. "Official missions" are used intensively to justify absence from plenary sessions without jeopardizing the mandate.
- Francesco Giacobbe (PD): An extreme case, where 48% of their time is dedicated to institutional missions, resulting in only 3,5% actual absences.
- Mario Borghese (MAIE): Leading in political "strength" in the Senate (0,38%), Borghese also uses missions (33,7%) to balance his trips to South America, keeping his absences at 10,2%.
- Andrea Crisanti (PD): The renowned scientist is the most productive in terms of proposals, with 12 bills submitted, maintaining a solid physical presence of 61,6%.
The truth about numbers
For citizens who vote abroad, parliamentary "work" is not limited to speeches on social media. It is measured by attendance at committee meetings and by pressing the voting button during the session. Budget Law or the controversial Tajani Decree.
The data shows that while some parliamentarians have transformed their mandate into a constant and productive presence, others, such as Tirelli and La Marca, have... (the latter with only 37% reliability in the Senate)They leave their bases unattended at the very moment when Rome most needs to hear the voice of Italians abroad.
X-RAY
Quests: 9.5%
Quests: 1.4%
Quests: 3.9%
Quests: 0.0%
Quests: 23.6%
Quests: 20.5%
Quests: 33.7%
Quests: 0.5%
Quests: 48.0%
Quests: 21.5%
Quests: 1.6%
Quests: 33.1%
The list above is ordered exclusively by the percentage of attendance in plenary sessions, from highest to lowest. Source: Openpolis / Openparlamento.
UNDERSTAND THE OPENPOLIS METHODOLOGY
OpenPolis is an independent Italian foundation that transforms raw parliamentary data into clear and objective indicators. The analysis goes beyond mere physical presence and assesses the real efficiency of parliamentarians.
1. Attendance and Punctuality Index
It measures participation in all electronic votes in the plenary sessions of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
- AttendancesWhen a member of parliament votes in person.
- FailuresWhen someone doesn't vote and doesn't provide a reason.
- MissionsAbsences justified by institutional commitments, such as meetings outside of Rome.
2. Parliamentary Productivity Index
Assess the impact of legislative work.
- Type of proposalBills are worth more than motions or questions.
- Role playedBeing the lead author or rapporteur increases the score.
- Progress in the processProjects that become law are worth more than those that are shelved.
- Political consensusProposals signed by different parties earn extra points.
- Opposition parliamentariansThey receive double points due to the greater difficulty in getting proposals approved.
3. Strength Index
It measures political power based on the number of positions held.
- Ministers and deputy ministers They receive high scores, but have less legislative output.
- Committee chairs and party leaders They also influence this index.
Why do the numbers vary?
A member of parliament can have 100% attendance and almost zero productivity. This happens with so-called... pawns, who vote according to party guidelines, but do not lead any proposals of their own.
In the case of elected officials from abroad, OpenPolis makes it possible to distinguish between those who act strategically in Rome and those who only participate in the main votes.
