Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a brief history of Italian emigration and the importance the Italian transnational communities have gained over the years. It also provides an analysis of the historical debate political parties have engaged with before the implementation of the contemporary external voting policy in Italy. The book focuses on the historical motivations that have driven emigration waves and the importance of maintaining connections with Italian expatriates over the years. It looks at the challenges created by the implementation of external voting policies and citizenship policies. The book analyses the implementation of the recent external voting policies in Turkey and Romania. It aims to demonstrate why Turkey and Romania decided to enfranchise the external community in domestic elections and to understand the political drivers that led to the implementation of the policy.