Milei’s sister, Karina, also received citizenship according to the ANSA news agency, which said the requests were processed urgently by Rome.
But this decision aroused the anger of the opposition which is campaigning to facilitate access to nationality for children born in Italy to foreign parents.
Granting citizenship to Milei is an “insult” and an act of “intolerable discrimination against many young people who will only obtain it after many years, said Riccardo Magi, an MP for the opposition Europa party.
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.
Opposition parties and human rights organizations like Oxfam want to reduce the period from ten years to five, to bring Italy in line with countries like the UK, France and Germany, but the coalition led by Ms Meloni opposes a relaxation of the rules.
