The implications of taking the thought process this has begun in Italy and drawing it step by modest step out to its natural conclusion are terrifying.

Once you agree the moderate, reasonable position is to allow othered groups but only up to a certain ratio you have already lost the war to defend human rights at its most essential level.

Nobody can say for sure what it really means to be Italian, I mean gosh the idea of obsessing over nationalism and heritage is always weird but I mean Italy? come on????? Italy is defined by the central role its people have played in European history despite the big old boot not really having a cohesive "national" identity for most of that time.... and with that in context Italians want to portray Italy as a gatekeeping border between an in and out group??

There is no quintessential Italianness that must be preserved, only a nation of individuals who will be denied or not denied participation in culture and life. There is no castle to defend and only diversity and vibrancy to be lost.

To beat a dead horse here, it is also worth pointing out how important maritime power, trade and interaction have been for Italy and that no great maritime power of the world has ever prospered from rejecting an engagement with the other, why have ships and live by the sea on a great long peninsula in the heart of the mediterranean if that is what you desire?