The Italian government has granted citizenship to Argentinian President Javier Milei, citing his Italian ancestry, according to the news agency ANSA. The decision has sparked widespread criticism across Italy.
Milei’s sister, Karina, also received Italian citizenship. ANSA reported that authorities in Rome fast-tracked their applications.
Riccardo Magi, a lawmaker from the opposition party +Europa, criticised the move. He called it “intolerable discrimination” against young Italians who struggle with bureaucracy to secure citizenship.
“Millions of Italians were born and raised here, studied, worked, and paid taxes. Yet, unlike President Milei, they face a long and difficult process to obtain citizenship,” Magi said in a video posted on social media.
Italian law requires foreigners to live in the country for at least 10 years before they can apply for citizenship. Even children born in Italy to foreign parents must wait until they are 18 to start the process.
Groups such as Oxfam Italia have urged the government to reduce the waiting period. They argue it should match policies in other EU nations like France and Germany. However, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government has firmly opposed such reforms.
Milei-Meloni relationship
President Milei met Prime Minister Meloni during his state visit to Italy on Friday. He also attended the Atreju Festival, a youth event organised by Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party.
The two leaders share ideological views and have formed a strong bond. Last month, Meloni gave Milei a figurine of him holding a chainsaw. This referenced his 2023 campaign, where he used the chainsaw as a symbol of his plan to cut government bureaucracy.
Milei is not the first Argentinian president with dual Italian citizenship. Mauricio Macri, Argentina’s president from 2015 to 2019, also held an Italian passport.
