Italy's ruling coalition widens citizenship revocation powers

Two parties within Italy's ruling coalition tabled separate bills this week aimed at broadening the circumstances under which the state can strip citizenship rights, The Local Italy reported on Thursday. The proposals come as the government signals a hardening stance on immigration and citizenship policy, with legislation targeting both foreigners in Italy and dual nationals.

The bills represent a significant expansion of a power that has been employed sparingly in Italian law. According to The Local Italy, citizenship revocation has been used almost exclusively for terrorism convictions, a narrow application that reflects the exceptional nature of the measure under existing statute. The competing proposals from coalition partners suggest competing visions for how far the expansion should extend.