In Italy, the government grants nationality to Argentine President Javier Milei and sparks an outcry on the left

“I’m 75% Italian”declared Argentinian President Javier Milei during a visit to Italy last February. At the end of his new visit to the country with Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, to whom he is close, this weekend, he could officially become one.

According to the Italian press, the Italian government has decided to grant Italian citizenship to the “Trump of the Pampas”, as well as to his younger sister, Karina, general secretary of the presidency in the Argentine government. Both claim to be descendants of grandparents who emigrated from the Calabria region, in the southwest of Italy, to Argentina.

“This concession confirms that the current law is inconsistent”

An ultra-rapid privileged treatment which provokes an outcry on the left of the Italian political spectrum and on social networks. “This is intolerable discrimination against many boys and girls born and raised in Italy who will never have citizenship”protested the Italian deputy Riccardo Magi, national secretary of the Radicals, according to comments reported by the daily Il Fatto Quotidiano. “Why this accelerated procedure for Milei, when others who apply for citizenship have to wait years?”also criticized the Italian MP and spokesperson for Europa-Verde, Angelo Bonelli, according to comments reported by the Italian press agency Ansa.

In Italy, citizenship by descent is based on the legislation of Right of Blood (“right of blood”). Even distant descendants of an Italian citizen can obtain a passport, while conditions for foreigners born in Italy or who immigrated there without having family there are much stricter. Foreigners must currently live in Italy for ten years before they can apply for naturalization, and children born in Italy to foreign parents cannot apply for citizenship until they turn 18.

A situation regularly contested by associations. And the news of this lightning naturalization spread in the newspapers did not fail to relaunch the debate: “This concession confirms that the current Law No. 91 of 1992, based on blood law, is obsolete and incoherent”reacted in particular the Dalla Parte Giusta della Storia network, which promotes a reform of the law on citizenship based on the right of blood. “Maybe they should take a chainsaw, a real one or a fake one, and go ask for the nationality law to be changed”for his part quipped Riccardo Magi on social networks.

The official announcement is expected this evening, on the occasion of the Atreju festival, organized by the Prime Minister's party, Fratelli d'Italia.