Argentina‘s libertarian President Javier Milei has been controversially granted Italian citizenship by the federal government in Rome, enraging opposition politicians.

Italy’s citizenship legal guidelines are primarily based on jure sanguinis or “proper of blood”, and permit even distant descendants of an Italian nationwide to get a passport.

This meant Milei, who has Italian roots, may simply get hold of the authorized standing. However Riccardo Magi, a lawmaker from the small opposition +Europa celebration, stated the transfer was an “insupportable discrimination in opposition to so many younger individuals who will solely get it after a few years”, The Guardian reported.

In a video posted on social media, Magi stated: “Tens of millions of Italians born in Italy, raised right here, who studied, labored, and pay taxes on this nation – not like President Milei – will face an arduous journey to achieve citizenship.”

Acquiring citizenship for the kids of migrants born in Italy or who migrate there may be a lot tougher than it has been for Milei, and campaigners have proposed a referendum to ease the foundations, however Meloni’s rightwing coalition has opposed softening the stance. 

At the moment, non-EU nationals should dwell within the nation for 10 years earlier than making use of for citizenship, and even kids born in Italy to overseas dad and mom have to attend till they flip 18 to use. 

Milei’s sister Karina additionally obtained citizenship, with the functions fast-tracked by Rome, Italian information company ANSA reported on Saturday.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is but to answer the criticism of the reported transfer. 

Milei had been within the Italian capital to fulfill Meloni and participate in her Brothers of Italy celebration’s annual pageant on Saturday. 

The Argentinian President, who has caught the attenion of MAGA Republicans within the US along with his large to cuts to public spending, has been effusive about his Italian connections, saying in a TV interview throughout a earlier journey that he felt “75% Italian”, and professing “an unimaginable ardour for Italian opera”.

Milei and Meloni are each outstanding firebrands on the best and have turn into shut political allies. 

Final month, Milei bizarrely offered Meloni with a figurine of himself wielding a chainsaw in reference to his 2023 electoral marketing campaign, by which he held up a chainsaw on the marketing campaign path to sign his intention to markedly scale back public spending.

He isn’t the primary Argentinian chief to have an Italian passport. Mauricio Macri, the South American nation’s president from 2015 to 2019, additionally had twin citizenship.