Argentine President Granted Italian Citizenship, Many People Are Outraged

Many people are upset because Argentine President Javier Mile easily obtained Italian citizenship during a visit to the European country and meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

President Milei and Prime Minister Meloni in Rome on December 13.

The Guardian reported that the Italian government has just granted citizenship to Argentine President Javier Milei because of his Italian roots, causing outrage among Italian opposition politicians when they compared the treatment of children of immigrants in this country.

Mr. Milei traveled to Rome to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and attend an annual festival of the Brothers of Italy party on December 14.

A source revealed that the government had granted Italian citizenship to the Argentine leader, but declined to provide further details.

The news in Italian media sparked angry reactions from some politicians and opponents of granting Mr Milei citizenship, given the difficulty of obtaining citizenship for children born in Italy to immigrant parents.

Italian nationality law is based on blood ties, meaning that even distant descendants of an Italian citizen can apply for an Italian passport.

In contrast, conditions for foreigners born in Italy or immigrating are much stricter. Pro-immigrant groups have proposed a referendum to loosen these conditions, but Prime Minister Meloni's right-wing coalition has opposed it.

MP Riccardo Magi from the small opposition +Europa party said granting Mr Milei citizenship was "unacceptable discrimination against so many young people who have spent years trying to gain this right".

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During a previous trip to Italy in February, President Milei gave a television interview and said that he felt "75% Italian" because his three grandparents were of Italian origin and he had "an incredible passion for Italian opera".

Mr. Milei and Ms. Meloni have developed a close relationship. When they met in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last month, the Argentine leader gave the Italian prime minister a small statue of himself holding a chainsaw. The leader often uses chainsaws on the campaign trail, symbolizing cuts in public spending.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tong-thong-argentina-duoc-trao-quoc-tich-y-nhieu-nguoi-bat-binh-185241214093651351.htm