Forza Italia’s proposal to introduce a moderated form of birth-right citizenship—known as “ius scholae” or “ius Italiae”—has exposed new fault-lines inside Italy’s centre-right coalition. After initially signalling readiness to vote for the bill together with the opposition Democratic Party, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani insisted the measure was in line with the coalition’s programme but not an immediate priority. His stance drew swift rejection from coalition partners: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the subject was not on the government agenda, while League leader Matteo Salvini declared the reform “archived” and vowed it would never pass. The debate was further upended on 9 July when Pier Silvio Berlusconi, chief executive of MFE-Mediaset and son of Forza Italia’s late founder, said the ius scholae “is not among the country’s top five priorities” and urged the party to focus on economic and welfare issues instead. While praising Meloni’s cabinet as “the best government in Europe,” Berlusconi added that Forza Italia needs “new leaders and ideas,” and, for the first time, did not rule out a future political career of his own. Tajani quickly aligned himself with Berlusconi’s remarks, maintaining that justice reform, tax cuts and healthcare remain his party’s main goals. He also rejected suggestions that the initiative had been influenced by the Berlusconi family. Despite Tajani’s attempt to keep the bill alive by re-branding it as a stricter pathway to citizenship, opposition from both the League and Fratelli d’Italia leaves the measure with little chance of advancing when parliament reconvenes after the summer recess.