Italy Strips Millions of Descendants of Their Citizenship Rights
Italy is rewriting the rules of who can call themselves Italian and the impact is massive. The country’s Constitutional Court has signaled it will uphold a controversial law that restricts citizenship for those born abroad. For generations, Italians living overseas could pass citizenship down to their children, sometimes across multiple generations. That principle, known as ius sanguinis , or “right of blood,” has been a cornerstone of Italian law since 1865. Now, that door is closing for millions.
Under the new legislation, only those with a parent or grandparent born in Italy can claim citizenship. Dual citizenship is effectively off the table if the Italian ancestor held another nationality at any point. Families with long-standing ties to Italy but who never formally claimed citizenship before 2025 could see their rights erased entirely. Legal experts describe this as a retroactive revocation—a dramatic break from more than 160 years of precedent.
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The consequences are far-reaching. Italy has one of the oldest and most globally dispersed diasporas, with millions living in the Americas, Europe and beyond. Many emigrated during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in search of opportunity. They carried Italian identity and traditions abroad and their children and grandchildren often sought citizenship to reconnect with their heritage, travel freely within the EU, or access work and educational opportunities. Now, that path is blocked for a large segment of that community.
The practical impact is enormous. Consulates around the world are overwhelmed with citizenship applications, some waiting up to a decade for an appointment. With the new law, thousands of families will see applications denied, leaving some siblings with citizenship while others cannot claim it. The ruling also intersects with gender issues, as descendants of women born before 1948 were previously blocked from passing citizenship—a problem many had already been fighting through the courts.
This decision comes amid Italy’s broader demographic challenges. The country is losing residents at a record pace, with emigration and declining birth rates creating a shrinking population. Local authorities in depopulated towns, particularly in Sicily, have relied on attracting descendants of Italians from abroad to revive communities and even staff critical services like hospitals. Those plans may now be impossible under the new restrictions.
For anyone with Italian roots, this is a moment to pay close attention. Legal battles will continue, possibly moving to European courts, but the immediate effect is clear: Italy is redefining its citizenship landscape, closing a chapter that has linked the country to its global diaspora for over a century.
Stay with us as this story develops, follow the latest court updates and watch how these historic changes continue to reshape the lives of millions of people with Italian heritage around the world.
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