Italian Constitutional Court Issues New Ruling on Citizenship by Descent (Jure Sanguinis)

Published: July 31, 2025 Decision No. 142/2025 [Read the full decision here: New ruling by the Constitutional Court on Citizenship]

On July 31, 2025, the Italian Constitutional Court released a new ruling (Decision No. 142/2025) that once again addresses the legal framework surrounding Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis).

🔍 What the Ruling Does Not Change

It’s important to clarify that this decision does not affect the recent legislative reforms introduced by Decree No. 36/2025, later converted into Law No. 54/2025. The Court explicitly confirms this point in its decision (“[…] la nuova disciplina, al di là delle assonanze rispetto a quanto prospettato nelle ordinanze di rimessione, non si riverbera sulla rilevanza delle questioni sollevate dalle stesse.Tutte le controversie oggetto dei giudizi principali sono state, infatti, introdotte sulla base di domande giudiziali presentate prima del 27 marzo 2025, sicché – ai sensi dell’art. 3-bis, comma 1, lettera b), della legge n. 91 del 1992, introdotto con l’art. 1, comma 1, del d.l. n. 36 del 2025, come convertito – resta applicabile ai giudizi a quibus la pregressa disciplina, cui si riferiscono le odierne censure […] and […]  La nuova disciplina non deve essere applicata nel giudizio costituzionale (ordinanza n. 73 del 1965 e, da ultimo, ordinanza n. 35 del 2024), né sussiste un «rapporto di presupposizione» fra la stessa e quella dedotta dal giudice a quo […]”).

Similarly, the ruling does not directly impact the updated interpretation of the “minor rule”—a provision concerning citizenship for minors—recently redefined by the Italian Government through Directive (Circolare) No. 43347, issued on October 3, 2024.

⚖️ Key Takeaways from the Court’s Reasoning

While the Court did not rule on the constitutionality of the new law itself, it laid out several important principles that could influence future cases, including its upcoming review of the new citizenship law.

Here’s a summary of the Court’s position:

• Scope of the Case: The referring judges asked whether it was constitutionally valid to grant Italian citizenship by descent without limits—even to individuals born and living abroad for generations, with no meaningful connection to Italy or its national community.
• Court’s Response:
  • The Court found the main questions inadmissible.
  • It emphasized that citizenship law falls under the discretion of the legislature, as long as it does not violate the principle of non-manifest unreasonableness.
  • It also stated that the current law cannot be changed through judicial interpretation or manipulation, as such changes require complex and systemic legislative evaluations.

This ruling reinforces the idea that citizenship policy is a matter for lawmakers, not courts, and that any substantial reform must come through formal legislative channels.

If you would like assistance assessing your personal eligibility or exploring the feasibility of an application, we remain at your full disposal.