Five individuals, primarily from Lebanon, were stripped of their Italian citizenship over links to the Hezbollah terrorist group, Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed. These individuals allegedly acquired Italian citizenship through irregular methods, Schengen News reported.
“We are revoking the citizenship of five Hezbollah members who obtained a passport through an agency that falsely claimed an Italian ancestor,” Tajani stated. “These are scams and deceptions that are also paid for at a high price.”
Under Italian law, those with an Italian ancestor, such as a grandparent, are eligible to apply for citizenship, granting them the right to freely move within the EU.
Citizenship Policy Debate: Minister Pushes for “Ius Italiae”
This case has reignited debate on Italy’s citizenship policies. Minister Tajani, a long-time critic of current laws allowing citizenship by ancestry, used the incident to press for “Ius Italiae.” This proposed reform would grant citizenship to children of migrants after completing ten years of education in Italy, rather than solely through ancestral claims.
Italy’s political landscape stands divided on this issue. One faction favours citizenship by blood and another supports citizenship for those born in Italy. According to Istat’s 2023 “Children and Youths” report, 58.5% of Italians aged 11 to 19 support granting citizenship to children born in Italy to migrant parents.
Italy Among EU Leaders in Granting Citizenship
Italy remains one of the EU’s top nations for granting citizenship. It issued 213,700 new citizenships in 2022, or 22% of the EU total, Eurostat data shows. Spain followed with 181,600 (18%) and Germany with 166,600 (17%).
In Italy, citizenship acquisition rates reached 3.6 per 1,000 residents in 2022. Moroccans, Syrians, and Albanians are the main beneficiaries across the EU.
