Italians vote on citizenship and job protection and vote on low awareness and turnout concerns

Rome (AP) – Italians voted within two days of a referendum on Sunday, which would make it easier for Italian-born foreigners to obtain citizenship and provide more work protection for children. However, if the turnout is not high enough, a significantly low public awareness may invalidate the vote.

Campaigners for the Citizenship Law law say it will help the country’s second-generation Italians better integrate into the culture they have seen.

Italian singer Ghali, born in Milan's Tunisian parents, urged people to vote in online posts, noting that if at least 50% of them are added to a qualified voter, the risk of a referendum fails.

“I was born here, I've lived here all the time, but I only got citizenship when I was 18,” Galley said.

The new regulations, if passed, could affect about 2.5 million foreign nationals, who are still difficult to be recognized as citizens.

These measures were proposed by the major Italian coalition and the left-wing opposition parties. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she would appear in the polls but would not vote – an action widely criticized by the left as anti-democratic because it would not help to meet the necessary threshold to make the vote work.

“Although some members of her ruling coalition publicly called for abstention, Meloni chose a more subtle approach,” said Wolfango Piccoli, an analyst at Teneo Consulting in London. “This is another example of her trademark fence.”

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Supporters say the reform will align Italy's citizenship law with many other European countries, thereby promoting social integration for long-term residents. This will also allow faster access to civil and political rights, such as voting rights, and qualifications for public employment and freedom of movement within the EU.

“The real drama is that no one will vote for 'yes' people, nor those who intend to vote for 'no' or avoid it, know what a foreigner born (a) miserable child must face in this country to obtain a residence permit,” said Selam Tesfaye, an activist and campaigner at the Milan human rights group “Il Cantiere.”

“Foreigners are also victims of blackmail because they cannot object to poorer working conditions, exploitation and discrimination due to instability in hospital permits,” she added.

Activists and opposition parties also condemned the lack of open debate on these measures, accusing the central right-wing coalition of trying to curb interest in sensitive issues that directly affect immigrants and workers.

In May, Italy's AGCOM Bureau filed a complaint against RAI state television and other broadcasters because they lacked adequate and balanced coverage.

“This referendum is really about dignity and the right to belong, which is key to many people born here and spending most of their adults contribute to Italian society. For them, the lack of citizenship is like an invisible wall.

“You work hard enough and pay taxes, but you can't be fully recognized as Italian. This becomes a barrier for the younger generation, especially in the creative field, creating frustration, exclusion and a lot of waste potential,” she said.

Four other referendums aimed at revoking labor reforms, making it harder to fire some workers and increase compensation for workers fired by small businesses, thus reversing previous laws passed by the center-left government a decade ago. One of the issues of voting also addresses urgent safety issues at work, restoring the joint responsibility of contractors and subcontractors.

Many people expect to give up voting

A poll published in mid-May shows that only 46% of Italians are aware of the issue of pushing for a referendum. The votes planned for the first weekend of the Italian school holiday are expected to be held, with about 35% of the electorate, well below the required quorum and even weaker turnout.

“Many people believe that the review should be based on the high level of abstentions that have occurred in recent elections, and turnout should be reduced,” said Lorenzo Pregliasco.

However, some analysts point out that even if the referendum fails, even if the turnout exceeds 12.3 million voters, their 12.3 million voters who support the winning center league in the 2022 election may win.

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Colleen Barry, an Associated Press writer in Rome, contributed.