GETTY Paolo Gentiloni has delayed a vote over migrant children's citizen rights

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The Italian government has been calling on the European Union to do more to help the country as it struggles to deal with the thousands of migrants who land on its shores every day. But failure to secure more aid has caused the public to turn against the establishment. And the Italian government has now delayed a vote to grant migrant children born in the country citizenship, fearing tensions will boil over.

Migrant crisis: Key locations before and after Tue, April 4, 2017 In these composite images, a comparison has been made between a scene at a key location during the height of the 2015 migrant crisis last year and the view there now Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 10 Aid workers help migrants up the shore after making the crossing from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos on November 16, 2015 in Sikaminias, Greece

GETTY More than 86,000 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year

Centre-left Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni was hoping to push through the bill that would give the children rights at birth or after at least five years of attending Italian schools. But the vote has been put on hold until later this year. More than 86,000 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year, up ten per cent compared to the same period in 2016. Immigration remains a thorny issue facing Italian politics as exasperated officials express discontent they are receiving little to no help from their European neighbours to deal with the escalating crisis. Mr Gentiloni said in a statement: "Given the urgent deadlines in the Senate calendar and the difficulties that have emerged in some parts of the majority, I don't think the conditions are right to approve the draft law on citizenship for foreign minors born in Italy before the summer break.”

GETTY The bill would give children rights at birth or after at least five years

The prime minister’s decision comes after latest opinion polls showed a majority of locals opposed the legislation. And the proposed bill also proved to be a liability for Mr Gentiloni and former prime minister Matteo Renzi in the face of rising populist parties including Five Star Movement and the North League party. The ruling Democratic party also face a national election in 2018. Matteo Salvini, head of the anti-immigration North League party, described Mr Gentiloni’s U-turn as a “victory”, adding: “If they try again, they’ll find us ready. Stop invasion”. Anti-establishment Five Star Movement politician and current mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi has also called or a moratorium on new arrivals in the Italian capital.

GETTY The vote caused controversy and a divide in Italians