Why South Tyrol should also include Roma and Sinti

This article examines the structural limits of South Tyrol’s autonomy system in relation to Roma and Sinti communities, who remain excluded from formal minority protection despite their long-standing presence. While South Tyrol is widely regarded as a highly developed model of minority governance, the analysis situates this exclusion within broader European constraints, as minority rights frameworks remain largely shaped by territorially bounded and kin-state models, offering limited recognition to transnational minorities. Extending protection to Roma and Sinti would not disrupt existing balances but would strengthen autonomy by aligning it with more inclusive and evolving European minority rights standards.