Italy offers citizenship to Argentine President Javier Milei

Rome faced criticism on Saturday after it awarded naturalization to the ultra-libertarian Argentine president Javier Milei on an official visit to the Italian capital, News.az reports citing Deutsche Welle.

Milei is eligible for citizenship because of his Italian ancestors, but the news sparked a furor among opposition politicians campaigning for the process to be eased for children born in Italy to migrant parents.

What we know about the move

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni received the Argentine president in Rome's Palazzo Chigi on Friday when the Italian news agency ANSA said he received news that the citizenship applications had been granted.

Milei, with his trademark disheveled hair, was in Rome to meet Meloni and take part in a festival on Saturday organized by her far-right Brothers of Italy party.

The two have established a close relationship, with Milei last month giving Meloni a statuette of himself brandishing a chainsaw — a reference to his political campaign rally posturing on public spending cuts.

Milei's Italian grandparents emigrated to Argentina in the early 20th century, and a few months ago, Milei stated that he was "75% Italian."

ANSA said the applications had been initiated by the Italian government in recent weeks with an exclusive fast-track procedure.

The agency said Milei's sister Karina, who was designated General Secretary of the Argentine Presidency by her brother, had also received Italian citizenship too.

News.Az