Tensions between Italy and Austria spiral over South Tyrol dual citizenship debate

The northern Italian province, known as Alto Adige in Italian, has long sparked controversy between Austria and Italy.

Now, while Vienna is at the helm of the EU, the issue has resurfaced over a proposal by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz to offer Austrian passports to South Tyroleans who speak German or the regional dialect Ladin.

The offer will not be extended to those who only speak Italian.

As Italy’s wealthiest province prepares to elect its new autonomous parliament on Sunday, supporters of the proposal argue it will forge a stronger European identity in the face of growing far-right and populist powers.

But critics fear offering Austrian nationality only to German and Ladin speakers could trigger division in a territory which is renowned for being home to peaceful cohabitation between the different linguistic groups.

The Italian government has argued that the proposal is an attack on the nation’s sovereignty.

“You can’t give away passports without our consent,” Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on the weekend.

“A dual passport is out of the question.”

In an attempt to avoid further conflict over the issue, Austria has promised to proceed with the plan only once it has Italy’s consent.

South Tyrol was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire until 1919, before being annexed by Italy as an autonomous province after World War I.

Subjected to forced “Italianisation” by Benito Mussolini from the 1920s, the province’s German speakers were offered the option of returning to Nazi Germany or remaining as Italians just before World War II broke out.

In 1948, the rights of the three main language groups – German, Italian and Ladin – were officially recognised in the province’s autonomy statute.

All public signs in South Tyrol are trilingual and most locals can switch between Italian and German with ease.

The province’s towering peaks and architecture are certainly much more representative of Austria than Italy.

According to the last census in 2011, around 70 per cent of South Tyroleans said they were German speakers, which is the official language of Austria.