Sonny Olumati was born in Rome and has lived in Italy all his life but the country he calls home does not recognise him as its own. To Italy, Sonny is Nigerian, like his passport, and the 39-year-old is only welcome as long as his latest residence permit.

Italians voted in a referendum on Monday that could ease citizenship requirements for immigrants, potentially granting nearly 1.5 million foreign residents the right to apply. The proposal, opposed by Prime Minister Meloni,

Italians began two days of voting Sunday in a referendum on easing citizenship rules and strengthening labor laws, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government opposed to both and urging people to abstain.