faq - Citizenship Referendum

A referendum is a tool that allows who has
the right to vote to express their unmediated
opinion on a measure or its amendment. It’s
a way to actively participate in the decisions
of a nation. The vote is individual, equal for
all, free and secret (Italian Constitution – Art.
48).
There are different types of referendum. The
one dealing with the question of citizenship
is being held to abrogate (i.e. cancel) a law
or a section of it. To be valid at least 50%
plus one of the eligible voters must
participate.

The referendum aims to change Art. 9, Law
n. 91/1992, (New Measures on Citizenship)
by reducing from 10 to five years the period
of continual legal residence in Italy that
adults and non-EU citizens will have to
adhere to before applying for Italian
citizenship. The five-year term had been
already established by a measure on
citizenship in effect from 1865 to 1992. The
current referendum wants to readopt it.
Those individuals who obtain citizenship will
be able to automatically pass it to their
under-age children.

The referendum will be held throughout Italy
on June 8-9, 2025. Polling stations are in
schools, public offices or sport facilities. On this occasion there will be five different
referendums, including the one on
citizenship. To cast your vote, you must
answer each question:
– Yes, if you agree that the measure
should be modified,
– NO, if you disagree.
N.B. To find out the location of your polling
station see https://elezioni.interno.gov.it/,
where you will find the complete list.

Adults who are already Italian citizens will be
able to cast their ballot by showing a voter
registration card and a valid ID.

Yes! Even though you are not eligible to
vote, you can publicize the referendum.
Here’s how:
– Inform yourself and others;
– Handout leaflets;
– Organize events;
– Publish information online.
To find out more, see:

https://referendumcittadinanza.it/ricevi-
aggiornamenti/

Ius soli concerns those who are born in Italy
to foreign parents (about 500.000 people
each year,) ius scholae those who, though
not born in Italy or without Italian parents,
have completed a five-year period of study
(about 135.000 each year.) Instead this
proposed amendment concerns those
individuals who already have resided in Italy
five years and their respective children
(about 2.5 million people).

No. The granting of citizenship is not
automatic, besides continual residence in
Italy (which this referendum proposes to cut
to five years), the other requirements
previously set by existing legislature would
remain unchanged, for example: Italian
knowledge certificate, proof of sufficient
income, absence of a criminal record, compliance with fiscal obligations, non-
presence of impedimental reasons connected to the security of the Republic.

The citizenship referendum would bring Italy
in line with most other European regulations.
The 10 years residence requirement now
specified by Italian law is among the most
restrictive among EU nations. At the
beginning of 2024, Germany adopted a
measure that coincides with that proposed by this referendum and established a five-
year residency as a requisite for citizenship. It was done to recognize the contribution that
foreign residents make to the nation’s
growth.

Besides citizenship, you are asked to vote on
several issues that concern the workplace
and workers’ protection:

– The abolition of measures contained
in the Jobs Act regarding firing of
personnel, to guarantee
reinstatement in the instance of an
unjust firing. The Jobs Act is a reform
of the Workers Statute approved in
2015. According to many unions, it
has increased work instability by
reducing workers guarantees and
encouraged short term work
contracts.
– The elimination of top limit compensation in case of firing from a
small business.
– The revision of fixed-term contracts
regulation.
– In case of a workplace injury, the
extension of responsibility to cover
subcontracts.

If you are looking for information on how to apply for Italian citizenship, please visit this page:
https://www.jumamap.it/it/faq/cittadinanza/

Yes! If for work, study or assistance to otjers, you are living in a different municipality than the one where you have established residence, you can vote in the June 8 – 9 referendum.

To do so you must prove that you have lived for at least three months in a municipality other than the one where you reside.

What do you have to do to cast a non residential ballot?

• Petition the Municipality where you live before May 5, 2025.
• Five days prior to the vote, the Municipality will send you a certificate indicating the polling station where you will be able to vote.

This opportunity applies only to those who find themselves far from their municipality where they reside for reasons of:

• Study
• Work
• Health or assistance to others.

For more detailed information on how to make the request, you can contact the election office of the Municipality where you are, or consult the website of the Municipality where you officially reside.