Proposals to grant immigrants the vote and make it easier for them to become citizens are indications Italy is catching up with other countries, Welfare Minister Paolo Ferrero said on Thursday.
Announcing that the government would discuss the proposed changes in a Friday cabinet meeting, he said the moves "will introduce those civilized principles that have existed elsewhere for some time".
"Democracy is impossible without universal laws," he continued. "Anyone living in a country, working there and paying taxes, must have the right to become a citizen of that country after five years, and must have voting rights". In an apparent jab at the former centre-right governing coalition - which introduced tougher entry requirements for foreigners at the urging of two of its allies, the Northern League and the National Alliance - he suggested that it might now pay the political price for its policies.
"Those politicians who reaped benefits from the public by inciting fear and discrimination towards immigrants must take into account the electoral impact of such moves," he said.
The proposals being examined by the cabinet on Friday were unveiled by Interior Minister Giuliano Amato last month. They include the right to citizenship after five years living in Italy legally, certain voting rights, and the right to bring specified family members into the country, including children under the age of 18, dependent parents and disabled or sick relatives.
Between 1.5 and 1.8 million foreigners living in the country are expected to take advantage of the new measures if approved.
According to Amato, most of the proposals are designed to implement outstanding European Union directives, although some of them go a step further, such as the granting of citizenship.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Left, the largest party in the centre-left governing coalition, has separately tabled a bill that would give foreigners the right to vote in municipal elections. Ferrero on Thursday said the bill may not be needed if Amato's immigration package is approved in its entirety. The proposals, part of a general overhaul of Italy's immigration legislation promised by the centre left during its election campaign, have been greeted with concern by the opposition.
Northern League senator, Ettore Pirovano, suggested that granting foreigners the right to vote was impossible without "changing the constitution".
Another prominent League member Dario Galli, the party's deputy-whip in the Senate, said they would "deal the final blow to what remains of Italian civilization". "[The centre left] is now trying to ensure massive immigration, better still if it's Islamic," he added.
Roberto Calderoli, Deputy Senate Speaker and the League's coordinator, said the moves were a ploy by the centre left to snare more votes and protect its slim parliamentary margin.
"The left is willing to risk our identity and our security by opening the doors to uncontrolled and uncontrollable immigration, just to hang onto power," he said.
The Council of State, Italy's highest administrative court, last year rejected a move by Genoa to allow immigrants to vote in municipal elections, saying only central government had the power to extend voting rights.
In the wake of Genoa's move five cities, including Turin and Florence, tried to set up immigrant voting in low-level district polls, while Pisa began examining the idea of allowing foreigners to vote in provincial elections.
In 2004, Rome held separate elections for foreigners to elect "advisors" on the city council. These representatives have no powers of their own and are only allowed to offer opinions on policy.
A recent poll by research institute Iref found that almost 60% of foreigners living in Italy said they thought voting rights would help them feel more integrated and "less foreign".
