People from South Tyrol could have a dual citizenship -their current Italian nationality and the Austrian citizenship- if the proposal made by the South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP) is accepted. The party, which is currently ruling the autonomous province in Northern Italy, has launched a campaign to gather signatures and test the support the idea might have among citizens. The party has also presented the proposal to the Austrian parliamentary sub-committee for South Tyrol, headed by Hermann Gahr. The petition is backed by other parties in the South Tyrolean assembly, such as the Libertarians, the Greens and the Union for South Tyrol.

The SVP has also asked Vienna to include the so-called protective power clause -a symbolic status establishing Austria as a "protector" of the German minority in Italy living in South Tyrol- in the Austrian constitution. The move would be surely seen with suspicion by Rome, which has accused Austria of interfering in Italian domestic affairs in a number of occasions.

Further information:

• MónDivers: El Tirol del Sud es mou per assolir la doble ciutadania austríaca i italiana
• Austrian Times: Petition for dual citizenship to circulate in South Tyrol
• Nationalia: Dossier Peoples and nations today: South Tyrol