(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in Italy support the proposals to reform immigration laws tabled by interior minister Roberto Maroni, according to a poll by IPR Marketing published in La Repubblica. 63 per cent of respondents are in favour of allowing citizens from other European Union (EU) countries to stay in Italy for over three months only if they have enough income and inform the authorities of their whereabouts.

Also, 58 per cent of respondents would agree with expropriating the houses that are rented to illegal immigrants, and 56 per cent favour allowing immigrants to reunite with their relatives only after a DNA test has been performed.

Italian voters renewed the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in April. Final results gave the Silvio Berlusconi coalition of right-leaning parties—encompassing the Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL), the Northern League (LN), and the Movement for Autonomy (MPA)—344 seats in the lower house, and 174 seats in the upper house. The victory put an end to the government of the centre-left Union (Unione), headed by Romano Prodi.

Berlusconi—Italy’s richest man—was sworn in as Italy’s new head of government on May 8. He had previously served as prime minister from May 1994 to January 1995, and from June 2001 to May 2006.

One of Berlusconi’s campaign promises was to deal with growing immigration and what he has referred to as "immigrant-related" crime. On May 16, Italian police arrested close to 400 people, allegedly illegal immigrants, in response to Berlusconi’s initiative to crack down on crime perpetrated by foreigners. Most of the arrested are described as Roma people from Eastern Europe. The prime minister has said he will introduce legislation that would allow authorities to screen immigrants and expel those breaking the law. Interior minister Roberto Maroni—a member of the openly anti-immigrant LN—said that there are no plans for "mass expulsions."

Last month, Maroni submitted an immigration reform bill to the legislature, which is expected to be approved by the end of July. Besides the measures mentioned already, the bill also includes a proposal to make illegal immigration a criminal offence.

Maroni said any immigration reform would be within the limits of the EU’s provisions, adding, "We are working on a security bill that will be very strict but respectful of all the European legislation. We are aware that a just law means we need to work on the integration of non-Italian citizens."

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose each of these measures?
("Support" listed)

Source: IPR Marketing / La Repubblica
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Italian adults, conducted on May 20, 2008. No margin of error was provided.

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