Millions with Italian roots at risk of losing right to citizenship after court ruling

• The civil code, published in 1865, declared that a child born to an Italian citizen was also an Italian citizen.
• However, a controversial law passed by the Italian government last year restricted citizenship for those born abroad.
• The Constitutional Court has now ruled in favour of the government after the new law was questioned by four judges.
• The court released a statement confirming its position, and is expected to give a more detailed verdict over the coming weeks.
• This ruling means that millions of Italian who have moved abroad over the years now risk denying citizenship to their descendants.