Until 1948, when the Constitution of the Italian Republic came into force, Italian laws regarding citizenship had contained clear and evident gender discrimination. Sons and daughters of Italian men were considered to be Italian, but not those of Italian women. Although these laws today have been considered unconstitutional (particularly Law 555 of 1912 and under extensive interpretation the Civil Code of 1865), they continue to present problems. Thus, the descendants of Italian women who were born before 1948 do not have the right to obtain Italian citizenship through an Italian Consulate on foreign soil. A judicial process is required in these cases to reverse the discrimination brought about by these specific cases, and a ruling in favor of citizenship will write the previous wrongs for those who have suffered as a result of these unjust laws.
