A new online petition against changes to citizenship rules has gained over 66,000 signatures in just three days, with critics arguing that the new regulations undermine Italy's historical ties to its diaspora.

Italy has faced a significant demographic crisis, with a record low of only 370,000 births in 2024, marking the 16th consecutive year of decline according to ISTAT.

This alarming trend has resulted in 281,000 more deaths than births, leading to a population decrease of 37,000, bringing Italy's total population to approximately 58.93 million.

The demographic decline is particularly severe in remote hilly areas, where over 350 municipalities reported no births in 2024.

The average size of Italian families has decreased significantly over the past two decades, with families now averaging 2.2 members, and only about 29% of households containing children.

In 2024, the average life expectancy in Italy rose to 83.4 years, an increase of nearly five months from the previous year, while the average age of the population reached 46.8 years.

The decline in births surpasses the previous record low of 1.19 births per woman recorded in 1995, highlighting a long-term trend of decreasing fertility rates.

Foreign residents accounted for 9.2% of Italy's population, totaling 5.4 million, with a notable increase of 166,000 foreign residents from the previous year.

Despite the influx of new foreign residents, young Italians continue to emigrate from regions with aging populations, such as Liguria, exacerbating the demographic challenges.

A record 191,000 Italians emigrated in 2024, a 20% increase from the previous year, influenced by new regulations imposing fines on unregistered expatriates.

Under the new rules introduced in March 2025, only individuals with an Italian parent or grandparent born in Italy, or an Italian parent who lived in Italy for two years, can claim citizenship by descent.

Efforts by successive Italian governments, including the current administration led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, have yet to reverse the ongoing demographic decline.