Earth and Blood.. Olympic Gold for Black Player Sparks Identity Debate in Italy
The Italian volleyball player of Nigerian descent, Paola Egonu, did not expect that while representing Italy in the Paris Olympics, she would ignite a debate about identity. Perhaps she at least expected to stir positive controversy for winning a gold medal, as reported by the French newspaper Le Monde.
In a report titled “Citizenship Debate at the Heart of the Ruling Right-Wing Coalition’s Discussions,” Le Monde‘s correspondent in Italy, Alain Cavalla, delves into this issue.
The writer noted that the controversy surrounding the conditions for granting citizenship is not new in Italy. However, the Italian women’s volleyball team’s gold medal win at the Olympics, led by Egonu, has thrust this debate violently into the spotlight in a country largely dominated by far-right rhetoric.
The issue of citizenship rights is now dividing even the ruling coalition led by Giorgia Meloni. Her party, “Brothers of Italy” (a right-wing conservative party), staunchly defends the current law based on the principle of “jus sanguinis” (right of blood), though less fiercely than its partner, the far-right “League” party led by Matteo Salvini. Meanwhile, the second coalition partner, “Forza Italia” (center-right), is advocating for reform by linking citizenship to educational attainment.
Le Monde‘s correspondent recalled a recent statement by Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary-General of “Forza Italia,” in which he defended diversity by saying, “Italy has changed. We have welcomed 170,000 Ukrainians in two years. It is our history; the Roman Empire used to open its arms [to foreigners], and Sicily is full of Arabic-origin names… Even my name has Arabic origins.”
Tajani also mentioned a draft reform law his party plans to present by the end of the parliamentary recess, which may align with other initiatives proposed by the opposition in recent weeks.
Egonu, 25, has sparked intense debate about identity, having led the Italian volleyball team to a series of remarkable victories in recent years. She has become a favorite target of the far-right, which has attacked her merely for condemning the widespread racism in Italian society and, at times, for the color of her skin.
One of her harshest critics was retired General Roberto Fanacci, a rising figure in the far-right, who eventually became a European MP for the “League” party, propelled by the fame he gained from his 2023 book titled The World Turned Upside Down, in which he claimed that Egonu’s features were not Italian—a charge he repeated in the context of the Olympic Games.
A mural celebrating “Egonu the Italian” was vandalized by an unknown individual, an attack widely condemned by the political class and further fueling the citizenship debate.
The correspondent reminded readers that Italy, historically and currently a land of migration, adheres to the principle of “jus sanguinis,” which particularly allows those of Italian descent born abroad (where their ancestors emigrated) to maintain their connection to their homeland.
The Democratic Party (the main opposition party) advocates for adopting “jus soli” (right of the soil), a position also supported by left and center-left parties. Meanwhile, “Forza Italia” has proposed an alternative that grants citizenship to children of immigrants who have attended school in Italy. This liberal party, founded by the late Silvio Berlusconi, considers “jus soli” (granting citizenship merely by being born in the country, as in France) to be an unappealing option in Italy.
In both cases, as Le Monde‘s correspondent notes, the proposals by the opposition and “Forza Italia” represent a break from the current strict system, which only allows those born in Italy to apply for citizenship upon reaching the age of 18, except when they are born to parents who have already obtained citizenship.
