Italy’s citizenship referendum fails after voters heed Giorgia Meloni call for boycott

An Italian referendum on granting faster citizenship to immigrants has failed due to a low turnout, as voters heeded Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s call to boycott the ballot.

About 30 per cent of eligible voters participated in the two-day referendum that sought to halve the time migrants must live in Italy before they can seek citizenship, according to the Italian ministry of interior. At least 50 per cent of eligible voters were required for the vote to pass.

The referendum, backed by leftwing opposition and activist groups, sought to repeal a law dating back to 1992 that mandated 10 years of residency for foreigners from outside the EU, up from a previous five-year requirement.  

Had the referendum succeeded, 2.5mn foreign migrants already in Italy for five years or longer could have been eligible to apply for citizenship immediately, proponents said.

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