Desenzano’s Growing Foreign Population Sparks Local Debate and Analysis
The number of foreigners residing in Desenzano is approaching a thousand. Their increasing presence, now exceeding 4.3% of the officially registered population, appears to be steady. There are 135 residents from the European Union and 835 non-EU foreigners registered in the population registry.
Positions on the Lega Nord proposal
It is precisely the steady growth of foreigners that is at the center of an initiative by Lega Nord, as well as a controversial response from the city’s mayor. The issue arises from a request sent to the City Council’s presidency by Rino Polloni, leader of Lega Nord, to establish a “consultation for immigration” with the goal of monitoring and verifying the immigration situation, as well as formulating proposals based on the actual reception capacity of Desenzano’s territory, including investments and resources.
However, Mayor Anelli disagrees. He criticizes: “There are laws governing migration flows. It is the state’s responsibility to monitor arrivals, evaluate, and quantify. Legally, the Consultation serves no purpose other than seeking publicity. You cannot intervene on the large numbers.”
The mayor continues: “The situation regarding the granting of residence permits or declarations related to ‘family reunifications’ of foreigners already residing here is different. In these two areas, the mayor and municipal authorities operate within the framework of rules set by the State.”
For family reunifications, the Technical Office measures the size of available premises to assess if there is space to accommodate new residents. The mayor’s statement must be attached to the application!
Regarding residence permits, it should be remembered that the mayor acts by recognizing a factual situation. The nature of the accommodation does not matter, as specified in a 1995 circular from the Ministry of the Interior, which states that the type of dwelling cannot be an obstacle to registration. Paradoxically, the Ministry writes, any housing can qualify: a cave, accommodations in caravans, or a building lacking habitable status. Essentially, only the stable presence of the individual is required.
The former mayor Massimo Rocca is well aware of this, having registered some nomads living in caravans within the city territory a few years ago.
Composition of the foreign community
Turning to the foreign residents, it should be noted that non-EU nationals come from as many as 56 countries. The largest community, unsurprisingly, is that of Moroccans, with 122 residents.
Next come some surprises: the Chinese in second place with 64 residents, followed closely by Colombians with 56 and Albanians with 53. Then come Egyptians, Senegalese.
Contributing further to the linguistic diversity are Bulgarians, Brazilians, Canadians, Swiss, Sri Lanka, Croatians, Czechoslovakians, Algerians, Estonians, Ghanaians, Bangladeshis, Hungarians, Indians, Iranians, Latvians, Moldovans, Mexicans, Nigeriens, Pakistanis, Peruvians, Poles, Argentinians, Chileans, Lebanese, Filipinos, Russians, Thais, Vietnamese, Uzbeks…
According to a study conducted by the previous Administration, foreign residents were well integrated into the community, with good housing and stable employment.