Italian citizenship referendum fails to reach threshold, support trails behind other issues on ballot

ISTANBUL

Italy’s referendum aimed at easing citizenship requirements for foreigners failed to meet voter turnout thresholds and got significantly less support than other referendums on the same ballot, marking a clear political signal on immigration, according to initial results released Monday.

Preliminary results from around 50,000 polling stations from Sunday and Monday show that just over 60% of voters supported the proposal to reduce the required residency period for foreigners to obtain Italian citizenship from 10 years to five, daily La Repubblica reported.

However, the figure lags more than 20 points behind the average approval rate, 88%, for four accompanying referendums related to labor legislation.

The citizenship referendum appeared to mobilize significant opposition, particularly in certain regions.

In major urban centers such as Milan, Turin, and Naples, the Yes vote topped 70%. However, in other areas, such as the valleys of South Tyrol, the No camp led by a wide margin.

The overall voter turnout for the referendums remained well below the required quorum, resulting in their invalidation. Even before polls closed, right-wing leaders declared political victory, calling the low participation and regional opposition a rejection of the proposed citizenship reform.

"The left has been defeated. Citizenship is not a gift," Matteo Salvini, leader of the League party, said in a statement Monday.

According to the first unofficial results provided by Italian channel Rainews24, the turnout for the referendum was 30.5%.

Due to this turnout, although the Yes votes on the five separate questions in the referendum won different majorities, the referendum was invalid because the 50%+1 required for the referendum to be considered valid was not satisfied.