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More Europe secretary Riccardo Magi during a flash mob with inflatable pencils and t-shirts with 'Yes to the referendum on citizenship' organised in front of Palazzo Chigi, the seat of the Italian government | Photo: ARCHIVE ANSA / MASSIMO PERCOSSI
More Europe secretary Riccardo Magi during a flash mob with inflatable pencils and t-shirts with 'Yes to the referendum on citizenship' organised in front of Palazzo Chigi, the seat of the Italian government | Photo: ARCHIVE ANSA / MASSIMO PERCOSSI

Over half of Italians back shorter path to citizenship, poll finds

Latest update : 2025/05/26
By ANSA Latest update : 2025/05/26

A YouTrend poll found that 52 percent of Italians would set a residency time for foreigners to get citizenship of five years or less, compared with the current 10-year requirement.

A majority of Italians, 52 percent, would set a residency time for foreigners to get citizenship of five years or less, compared with the current 10-year requirement. This was the result of a YouTrend poll conducted between May 21 and 22 on 775 interviews with adult residents using the CAWI method.

Stance aligned with political leanings

YouTrend co-founder Giovanni Diamanti presented these findings at the Italian Foreign Press Club on May 22 during a press conference alongside the promoters of a referendum on citizenship slated to be held across Italy on June 8-9. More Europe (Più Europa or +Europa) party secretary Riccardo Magi was present.

"In-depth understanding of the criteria required for citizenship today is lacking, but there is sensitivity towards it, especially among the young," Diamanti said.

In general, the vast majority of voters of the Greens and Left, Democratic Party, Azione, More Europe, and Italia Viva support a reduction in residency times for foreigners who want to become Italian nationals.

This percentage drops for Five Star Movement voters (50 percent back the proposal) and those for Forza Italia (25 percent). Clearly on the side of maintaining the current 10-year requirement are those who back the Fratelli d'Italia and League parties, with only 8 percent and 6 percent in favor of a change.

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Concerns quorum may not be reached

The poll provided a more detailed view through specific questions. To the question of whether "should a foreign individual residing without interruption since 2019, without a criminal record and with proof of sufficient income to support his-herself, be able to request citizenship in 2025?", Forza Italia voters were more likely to say yes compared with Five Star Movement ones: 48 percent compared with 42 percent.

The poll also found "a negative aspect for those backing the referendum since only 12 percent of the population expects it to reach" the minimum necessary respondents for the referendum to be valid: half of those plus one holding the right to vote.