Some people here act like differences between Italians from different regions is something new and controversial. It is definitely neither of those. Italy is a very geographically stretched out and diverse country and phenotypic differences are to be expected with genetic differences or without them. Lighter hair and eye colour are more widespread on the coasts and darker skin and hair colour is more widespread in the mountains. In the case of skin colour it would only take a few generations in order for significant differences to appear. The question is whether phenotypic similarity is a significant part of ethnic identity and the answer is obviously a yes. Whether the existing differences between Italians are important or not is up to Italians to decide and as long as it doesn't become absurd (like the "we all come from Africa anyway" argument) and damaging to the strength of ethnic identities of other nations, it is fine. Ethnicity is both phenotype (i.e. similar ancestry) and culture. If Italians want to split their country into more autonomous regions, then I don't see any problem, but saying that there are no differences between, say, Lombardy and Napoli or Sicily is absurd. Of ******* course there will be differences, both phenotypic and cultural, but as I said, it is up to the Italians to decide whether these differences are significant enough to actually act on them. If there is no inner consensus among people within one country, then you get interventionist, opportunist bitches like Russia trying to ignite the existing conflicts.