Italian Citizenship By Descent (Jure Sanguinis): Constitutional Court Judgment 142/2025 Explained

Italian Citizenship by Descent Confirmed: What Judgment 142/2025 Means for Applicants

With Judgment No. 142/2025, the Italian Constitutional Court intervened on one of the most debated issues concerning the transmission of Italian citizenship by descent (jure sanguinis Italy).

The Constitutional Court has effectively confirmed the full legitimacy of the current Italian rules on citizenship by descent under Italian law, considering the restrictions introduced by the Italian Government through the recent reform as lawful.

Specifically, the Court reaffirmed that:

• The previous legal framework, based on granting Italian citizenship by descent without generational limits to descendants of Italian citizens born abroad, is not in conflict with the Constitution;