Post by : Jyoti Gupta

On March 28, 2025, Italy passed a new law that has upset millions of people in South America. The Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, changed the rules for getting Italian citizenship. Before, if someone had an Italian ancestor—no matter how far back—they could apply for citizenship. Now, only people with Italian parents or grandparents can apply.

This change is part of a new law called Law 36/2025, also known as the Trajani Decree. It was introduced by Italy's Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani. The law puts a strict limit on how many generations back you can go to claim Italian citizenship through family bloodline, known as jure sanguinis .

South Americans Hit Hard
These new rules have deeply affected people in Brazil and Argentina. Many families there come from Italian immigrants who moved during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

• Brazil has around 32 million people with Italian roots.
• Argentina has about 25 million.

Under the old rules, many of these people could become Italian citizens. Now, most of them cannot.

In countries like Argentina, over 60% of the population has Italian heritage. Other countries like Uruguay (44%) and Brazil (15%) also have large Italian communities. Many people feel proud of their Italian roots, even if their ancestors moved away more than 100 years ago. They have built strong cultural and emotional ties to Italy, passed down from parents and grandparents.

 Why Did the Government Do This?

The Italian government says it needed to make this change because the consulates in South America were getting too many citizenship requests. Many people wanted Italian passports to work and live in the European Union, even if they didn’t speak Italian or have any connection to Italy today. In 2024 alone, about 69,000 Brazilians got Italian citizenship.

The government also added a new rule that says people must have a real connection to Italy—just having a distant relative is no longer enough.

 What Happens to Ongoing Applications?

If someone applied before March 28, 2025, their case will be reviewed under the old law. But for those who haven’t applied yet, the new rules apply. That’s why many people rushed to submit their papers before the deadline. Now, there’s a lot of confusion and stress, especially for families who have already spent money and years preparing documents.
Italy has also moved all applications to a central office to reduce fraud and speed up the process.

 Legal Fight Begins

In both Brazil and Argentina, people are upset. Some lawyers and community groups are taking Italy to court. They say the new law is unfair because it removes a right people are born with. One lawyer, Monica Lis Restanio, said at a hearing in June that citizenship is a family bond. She said only the person themself should be allowed to give it up—not the government.

 More Than a Passport

• Italian immigrants have helped shape the culture, language, and economy of South America.
• In Buenos Aires and São Paulo, entire neighborhoods still feel Italian.
• In Brazil, many words in Portuguese come from Italian.
• Italian food, wine-making, and farming are still important in places like southern Brazil.
• Italians also helped build big industries like textiles and machinery.

Back in the early 1900s, Italian workers in Brazil also supported labor movements and social change. They brought ideas like socialism and helped create Brazil’s first left-wing newspaper, Avanti.

 A Big Shift in Identity

This law marks a turning point in how Italy sees its people abroad. Instead of keeping strong ties with distant descendants, the country now only recognizes recent family connections.

Critics say the Meloni government is pushing a narrow idea of what it means to be Italian. They argue that Italy’s identity has always been rich and diverse—shaped by people from different regions and histories. Cutting ties with the Italian diaspora may damage the strong bond Italy has had with people around the world.