Italian citizenship law dispute reaches EU Court amid Brazil migration surge
In March 2025 Italy enacted the so‑called Tajani decree, limiting citizenship by descent (jus sanguinis) to children and grandchildren of Italian ancestors and imposing strict conditions on the transmission of the status. The change halted the long‑standing right of distant descendants, affecting millions of Brazilians, Argentines and other overseas Italians.
Italy’s Constitutional Court has now suspended its own ruling and referred the matter to the European Court of Justice, asking whether the new rules comply with EU treaties. Lawyers and scholars say the referral could overturn the restrictions and restore eligibility for earlier applicants.
The tighter regime also forced a reshaping of the migration‑services sector. Brazilian firms MN Cidadania and GM Cidadania, which previously focused on Italian citizenship, have broadened their portfolios to other European nationalities and new migration routes and have opened a U.S. subsidiary in 2026 to serve families seeking work, study or residence abroad.