I consider myself an expert on this subject and you're correct. Italy hasn't been "better than many European nations at this. . ." [making it easy for those of Italian citizenship to immigrate to Italy.] In fact it is among the worst, if not THE worst. Acquiring Italian citizenship, or residency for that matter, is an absolutely convoluted, expensive nightmare - unless you're a "refugee," then it's all "on the house.".
I live in Sicily and have been here, off and on, for about ten years. Acquiring residency permits every year has been a gut-wrenching, expensive nightmare, fraught with administrative incompetency and wrapped in an inconsistent bureaucratic maze that would bring any sane person to tears and despondency.
Even acquiring Italian citizenship "jur sanguinis," that is through an unbroken chain of Italian ancestors, will take the average person thousands of dollars (4-6) and years of bullshit to accomplish.
I have permanent residency, which to my utter shock and surprise, was recently granted to me. The process has been an absolute nightmare and there were many times I thought, "Eff this, I'm out."
Now, here's the kicker that demolishes the fantasy that the "conservative" Italian government has been moving towards welcoming back those of Italian heritage: Until this year, non-EU foreigners, with legal residency, had to pay ~387 Euros to use the National Health Care System, which believe it or not, is excellent. However, this year, the fee was arbitrarily increased at the last minute to (drum roll please. . . )a minimum of 2,000 Euros. This affects, overwhelmingly mainly American and British expats, you know, those productive, law abiding folks that contribute to the Italian economy, don't sponge off social services and follow the law.
Now, you might ask who's exempt from this outrageous fee? If you said African, Syrian, Afghan and all other "refugees," most of whom are Muslim, you'd be correct! On top of that steaming pile of unfairness, toss Ukrainian "refugees." The 2,000 fee is being used to cover the costs of giving these folks free everything. Ugh.
Ain't socialism grand?. . .
The fact is, the Meloni government is all "conservative" talk but globalist-supporting in deed.
The flood of Third World "refugees" flooding into Italy continues unabated, in spite of Meloni's big talk while campaigning, of stopping that flood. She'd make an excellent RINO in the US.
When it comes to ease of immigration for those of European heritage, look at Ireland. My high school buddy, who was born in the US to a father of Irish heritage simply filled out a form in the US, provided copies of his birth certificate and afew other easily procurable documents, sent it to the Irish Embassy and within a few months he had an Irish passport.
I'll leave you with this story: Years ago, I was having serious problems with continuing my residency here and had just exited another meeting with incompetent clowns at another government office. When I walked out, a good friend of mine was outside so I started telling him what was up. Another Sicilian guy joined the conversation and said this to me: "You must be like Negro - get in rubber boat and come to shore like refugee. It will all be free then!"
And he is right.
Interesting stuff. Thanks. And, I agree... Eire is a piece of cake for those who qualify.
In your opinion, is this a matter of duplicitous ideology or the mere fact of impenetrably corrupt bureaucracy (particulalry in a 'backwater' like Sicily)? I can easily see the latter as equivalent to our indispensible Deep State protected by unions and the Civil Service Act and effectively immune to a top-down purge, in which case your disparaging Meloni's shortcomings (while understandable) would be counterproductive.
Okay, so now a scene from “True Romance” is playing in my mind.... :)