Granting Austrian citizenship to German-speaking Italians would not be a victory for South Tyrol’s separatists

Austria’s new government proposed in December 2017 to offer Austrian citizenship to German-speakers in the province of South Tyrol in Italy. Stephen J. Larin and Alice Engl argue that although the proposal has been welcomed by separatist parties in South Tyrol, it does not threaten Italy’s territorial integrity, and it would not have happened without the close relationship between the Austrian ÖVP (Freedom Party) and the autonomist-but-not-separatist South Tyrolean People’s Party (SVP).

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 20.10.16: South Tyrol’s Autonomy Convention is not a breakthrough for participatory democracy – but it shows how power-sharing can transform conflicts http://www.europeansources.info/record/south-tyrols-autonomy-convention-is-not-a-breakthrough-for-participatory-democracy-but-it-shows-how-power-sharing-can-transform-conflicts/

The Telegraph, 18.12.17: Austria's new government stokes secessionist row in northern Italy http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/12/18/austrias-new-government-stokes-secessionist-row-northern-italy/

The Local.it, 18.12.17: Italy indignant after Austria offers passports to South Tyroleans https://www.thelocal.it/20171218/italy-austria-passports-south-tyrol

EurActiv, 30.05.18: South Tyrol looks anxiously towards Rome https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/south-tyrol-looks-anxiously-towards-rome

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