It is only a few days before the end of the subscriptions necessary to present the lists that will be held in the elections of COM.IT.ES. 2026, scheduled for Saturday 3 October. And yet, this decisive phase has been discussed too little.
Many citizens do not know that before the vote of 4 December, the lists must collect a minimum number of signatures — 100 or 200, depending on the size of the consular constituency and the number of AIRE members — and that the same must be authenticated by the Italian consulate of belonging. This procedure is absolutely necessary to present the lists and, unfortunately, for many Italian companies abroad is becoming a step full of difficulty!
In several constituencies, in fact, the prohibitive distances from the consular offices, the times not always compatible with work, the little time available and the limited dissemination of information make it complicated, for citizens and candidates, to participate in the collection of subscriptions. Community with a strong Italian presence but far from the consular offices, such as Rochester and Bermuda in the State of New York, for example, are likely to remain in fact excluded.
Not all lists met the same difficulties and some fortunately managed to collect the necessary signatures. However, from the testimonies coming from the United States, Europe, Latin America and other realities in the world, a general dissatisfaction emerges towards a procedure perceived as difficult and not always adequate to respond to the characteristics of the different territories in which residents are displaced.
From the East Coast, he spokesman for this comparison Ornella Fado, Vice President of the COM.IT.ES. of New York and President of the Communication and Events Commission, collecting testimonies and proposals from members of COM.IT.ES
From the West Coast he joined the initiative Sara Bianchi Chamberlin, Operational Director of the COM.IT.ES. of San Francisco. Representatives of many COM.IT.ES. and Italian realities in the world are participating in the discussion.
The goal is to understand what solutions can be adopted, if not for the current electoral round, at least for the future. Among the hypotheses in question are a more direct and timely communication to AIRE members, consular missions organized in places and times really accessible, times more appropriate for the collection of subscriptions and procedures closer to the needs of the Communities.
Another theme is the authentication of signatures. Participants ask for clarification on the possibility of applying instruments already used in previous elections, such as authentic in front of local notaries or public officials, with its Apostille under the Hague Convention. In 2021, for example, exceptional measures related to COVID were envisaged; today the question is why they cannot be evaluated how, in the past, they facilitated the participation of citizens residing far from the Consulates.
It is therefore considering the drafting of a petition and a shared document to be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the CGIE and the consular offices, to ask for a concrete comparison and more accessible solutions.
“We do not ask for privileges, but that no citizen is excluded simply by distance or lack of information,” says Ornella Fado. “The COM.IT.ES. elections must be a real opportunity for all Italians in the world. »
L’articolo COM.IT.ES. Elections: a few days after the closure of the subscriptions the comparison between Italians in the world comes from IlNewyorkese.
