Americans challenge Italy’s new law restricting citizenship by descent

NewsWorldEuropeAmericans challenge Italy’s new law restricting citizenship by descentOne case would clarify the citizenship rights of the descendants of some 14 million ItaliansColleen Barry & Silvia StellacciWednesday 15 April 2026 19:42 BSTBookmarkBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":false,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"CF1:2957360To1","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/italian-nationality-law-citizenship-rights-americans-b2958461.html","title":"Americans challenge Italy’s new law restricting citizenship by descent"}}open image in gallery{"id":"trigger-autogallery-14741","index":0}Karen Bonadio, from the United States, holds a picture of her and her grandfather Giuseppe Nicola Montesano, as she is interviewed by the Associated Press outside Italy's highest Court of Cassation, in Rome, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, prior to the start of a hearing to argue against the new citizenship law that restricts citizenship by descent (AP)On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondentsGet a weekly dispatch from our international correspondentsGet a weekly international news dispatchEmail*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice{"className":"sc-1ge0fwe-0","newsletterData":{"regSourceNewsletter":"IND_On_The_Ground_Newsletter","regTitle":"On The Ground","subscriptionGroup":"on_the_ground","subscriptionGroupId":"14806361-6435-4d19-b06e-05326605fb01","pathPrefix":["/news/world/europe","/news/world/middle-east","/news/world/australasia","/news/world/africa","/asia"],"associatedAuthors":["Bel Trew","Sam Kiley"],"title":"On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents","mobileTitle":"Get a weekly international news dispatch","lengthenedMob...