The LaST survey tackled a thorny and complex issue because it touches on one of the fundamental aspects of integration: citizenship rights for foreign nationals. It examined this from two perspectives: the right to vote and access to healthcare, and the issue of citizenship itself.
As far as healthcare is concerned, Italians appear to have no doubts on the matter. Almost all those surveyed (96.9 per cent) believe that migrants should be entitled to healthcare for themselves and their family members, on an equal footing with their Italian compatriots. It is worth noting that even amongst those who express a wholly negative attitude towards migrants, as many as two-thirds (63.8 per cent) agree that they should be granted this right. The issue of healthcare, therefore, unites everyone without distinction. A different, yet equally interesting, aspect concerns political participation and the opportunity to be represented through voting. More than four in five Italians (84.2 per cent) believe that migrants residing legally should be allowed to vote in local elections in their own municipality. Those most supportive of this option are the younger generations (aged up to 34: 91.6 per cent), residents of the North-East (93.1 per cent) and those not in employment (housewives: 100.0 per cent; students: 92.5 per cent). Voting in local elections is therefore now widely supported. It is also interesting to note that, when comparing this result with that of a similar survey carried out in 2007 (Demos&Pi), this level of support has increased further. At that time, 75.1 per cent of the population was already well disposed towards such a choice. Although positive, however, the attitude towards elections to the national parliament is somewhat more lukewarm. In this case, support falls to 65.8 per cent, with stronger backing coming from young people (under 24: 81.1 per cent), residents of the North-East (74.3 per cent), and those not in employment (housewives: 92.6 per cent; students: 78.1 per cent) and those with a low level of education (81.1 per cent). This result is virtually identical to that of 2007, when 64.5 per cent were in favour of this prospect. Thus, on the one hand, there is a growing and largely majority-held tendency to view migrants as an integral part of local communities. On the other hand, there is a prevailing positive attitude towards active participation at national level, albeit with less emphasis. It is as though local identity matters more than national identity.
