Argentina’s President Javier Milei has been granted Italian citizenship while on a state visit to Italy, according to a spokesperson for Italy’s Foreign Ministry. Milei, who has three Italian grandparents that emigrated to Argentina in 1926, was granted citizenship based on his bloodline, under the principle of 'ius sanguinis'.
During the visit to Rome, Milei's sister and political adviser Karina Milei also received Italian citizenship. The siblings attended the political convention of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party during their visit.
Milei initiated the citizenship process earlier this year, which typically takes years for most individuals. The timing of their citizenship approval comes just before the implementation of new rules that will make it more challenging and costly for individuals to apply for Italian citizenship.
The new regulations state that descendants of Italian citizens who renounced their citizenship after leaving the country may not automatically inherit citizenship. It remains unclear whether Milei's grandparents retained their Italian citizenship or became Argentine nationals.
Riccardo Magi, an opposition parliamentarian advocating for birthright citizenship, criticized the decision to grant citizenship to the Milei siblings, stating that it undermines the efforts of individuals who have been waiting for citizenship for extended periods.
Despite the criticism, Italy's Foreign Ministry did not respond to inquiries regarding the decision to grant citizenship to the Milei siblings. Prime Minister Meloni, who recently visited Argentina, expressed solidarity with President Milei, emphasizing their efforts to strengthen bilateral relations.
Milei, known for his symbolic use of a chainsaw to represent budget cuts, gifted Meloni an action figure of himself holding the power tool during their interactions.
