President Milei and Prime Minister Meloni in Rome on December 13
Sheet The Guardian reported that the Italian government had just granted citizenship to Argentine President Javier Milei because he is of Italian descent, causing outrage among Italian opposition politicians as they compared the treatment of children of immigrants in the country. This.
Mr. Milei went to Rome to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and participate in an annual festival of the Brothers of Italy party on December 14.
A source revealed that the government had granted Italian citizenship to the Argentine leader, but declined to provide further details.
The news in the Italian media caused angry reactions from some politicians and those who opposed granting citizenship to Mr. Milei, since it is difficult to obtain citizenship for children born in Italy with parents are immigrants.
Italian nationality law is based on consanguinity, meaning that even distant descendants of an Italian citizen can apply for an Italian passport.
In contrast, the conditions for foreigners born in Italy or immigrated are much stricter. Pro-immigrant groups have proposed a referendum to relax these conditions, but Prime Minister Meloni’s right-wing coalition has opposed it.
MP Riccardo Magi from the small opposition party +Europa said granting Mr Milei citizenship was “unacceptable discrimination against the many young people who have spent years acquiring this right”. .
During a previous trip to Italy in February, President Milei gave a television interview and said that he felt “75% Italian” because his three grandparents were of Italian origin and he had “a passion for incredible passion for Italian opera”.
Mr. Milei and Ms. Meloni have established a close relationship. When they met in Buenos Aires (Argentina) last month, the Argentine leader gave the Italian prime minister a small statue of himself holding a chainsaw. Leaders often wield chainsaws to campaign, with the intention of cutting public spending.
