Junior government partner the
centre-right Popular Area (AP) on Tuesday reiterated its
opposition to a 'ius soli' law that would give Italian
citizenship to the children of long-term immigrants who have
completed at least five years in the Italian school system. "The
issue is closed and we don't expected the government to stretch
the case any longer," said AP national coordinator Maurizio
Lupi. Ius soli is Latin for "law of the soil". Currently
immigrants' children can apply for citizenship at the age of 18.
The proposed law, which has bogged down in the Senate after
being passed by the House, would lower that to 10-12 years of
age. The government, led by centre-left Democratic Party (PD)
Premier Paolo Gentiloni, has vowed to pass the bill before the
legislative term ends next spring.
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