On March 5 a delegation of the Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy - FdI) met the Italian American Community during an event at the Casa Italiana in Washington, DC. Representatives of Casa Italiana, the Italian Embassy, and Mr. Andrea Di Giuseppe, elected in the North and Central America District, organized the event.  

Di Giuseppe thanked the organizers and the Italian community for attending the event. He highlighted his dual citizenship, Italian and American, and his entrepreneurial experience in the U.S. He stressed that he is honored to serve and represent the Italian community in America within the Italian Parliament.

FdI delegation, which attended the 2023 Conservative Political Action Conference, included members of the European Parliament, Mr. Antonio Giordano, Secretary General of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR - FdI), Mr. Nicola Procaccini, Co-president (ECR – FdI), and Carlo Fidanza (ECR – FdI). Members of the Chamber of Deputies Mr. Manlio Messina (vice-President of FdI group), Mr. Federico Mollicone (President of the Culture Commission), Mr. Mauro Rotelli (President of the Environment Commission), Mr. Gianluca Caramanna (Head of Industry and Economic Activities for FdI); Mr. Fabio Roscani (President of FdI National Youth Association), Mr. Fabio Pietrella (EU Policies Committee and President of the Italian Fashion Trade Association), and Mr. Andrea Di Giuseppe, (member of the Foreign Affairs Commission). Members of the Senate of the Republic Ms. Elena Leonardi (Social Affairs Commission), Ms. Paola Ambrogio (Budget Commission), Mr. Paolo Marcheschi (Public Education and Culture Commission), and Ms. Simona Petrucci (Environment, Energy, Technology and Innovation Commission).

FdI, and Mr. Di Giuseppe in particular, is very keen on representing the interest of Italians abroad with concrete actions. For example, FdI, within the parliament, had tabled a bill for the reacquisition of Italian citizenship for all those Italians - born in Italy to Italian parents and for their children – who lost their citizenship when they became citizens of another country before 1992 when Italy did not allow dual citizenship. 

The audience formulated a few questions for the members of the Italian delegation. One question focused on the massive emigration of hundreds of thousands of Italian-born citizens, many young and highly skilled, who left the country for lack of better opportunities. How is FdI trying to stop this exodus and encourage people to return? 

According to Di Giuseppe, improving the economic conditions of “Sistema-Italia” is essential to offer more opportunities in Italy so that young people would consider leaving the country only by choice, not because of necessity. This government is trying to recreate the conditions to allow young people to choose to move abroad to improve themselves and not have to leave because they cannot find decent opportunities in Italy.

Another question was on the legislation and the procedure to acquire Italian citizenship for Italian Americans. Mr. Di Giuseppe stressed that the bill he referred to is to re-acquire citizenship for those Italian-born who lost it before 1992. However, once this bill is approved, they may consider amending the law about Italian citizenship to simplify the acquisition of citizenship for those with an Italian parent or ancestor. 

The last question was on the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, which may encourage Italian and European firms to delocalize in the U.S. to take advantage of the fiscal incentives offered by the new law.

Mr. Di Giuseppe highlighted that as an entrepreneur, he delocalized abroad to take advantage of market opportunities; it is not feasible to prevent Italian companies from moving abroad to take advantage of market opportunities. The Italian institutions should create an environment where companies can prosper so that investing or delocalizing abroad becomes a choice, not a necessity. 

Petrella highlighted that there should be more connections with Italian businesses interested in investing abroad and the Italian communities living outside Italy. It is crucial for each country and region in the EU to encourage the development of local companies and businesses, especially when they produce quality products linked to Italian excellence and tradition. Specifically, regarding the delocalization, FdI and Prime Minister Meloni are working to create a European Fund to offer financing and incentives to EU companies that invest in the EU. This European fund should offset the incentives provided by the U.S. with the Inflation Reduction Act.