Probably the same reason why they came up with this unfair regulation of compulsory UK passport for dual nationals, when entering UK.

If I'm not mistaken, I don't think Italy requires dual nationals to hold Italian passport and use it when entering Italy from the UK, whether they are resident in UK or Italy.

I think you are right that you can currently enter Italy with CIE even when travelling outside the EU.

I've noticed that if Italian nationals use their ID cards to return to Italy from outside the Schengen Zone, they cannot use e-gates and so they have to see a border officer.

The e-gates in Europe are technically for visitors. When I enter and leave Italy, I always refuse to use them and insist that I see a real person with my British passport and Brexit residence card. (N.B. I haven't got Italian citizenship and don't intend to apply for it.)

Italians now must have a passport for travel to the UK and outside Shengen other than these countries: Albania, Bosnia ed Erzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia del Nord, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia (per viaggi organizzati) ed Egitto (solo per turismo con foto).

New guidance issued for dual citizens with British nationality: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/electron...-dual-citizens

I wonder whether there will soon be stories of British citizens trying to return to their own country, but they are stopped by non-British ground handling agents. It's the modern digital era - documents and more documents.

No wonder a British passport has moved out of the top 10 most desired passports....and outta the top 20 soon!