Italian Citizenship for Argentina President Milei Criticized as Unfair

According to media reports, the Italian government has granted citizenship to Argentine President Javier Milley in recognition of his Italian heritage, a move that has sparked outrage in Argentina. According to Italy's Foreign Ministry, Javier Millie, whose grandparents moved to Argentina from Italy, was granted Italian citizenship by virtue of his paternal ties. The decision has been criticized, particularly by opponents of Italy's citizenship policy, who argue that the law, which allows descendants of Italian people to obtain citizenship, is unfair.

Critics pointed to the inconsistency of granting citizenship to persons of distant Italian ancestry while denying citizenship to the children of Italian-born immigrants. Liberal opposition MP Ricardo Maggi strongly disagreed with the Italian government's decision to grant citizenship to Argentine President Javier Milley and described the move as "another slap" for children born in Italy or living there permanently, many of whom have been waiting for citizenship for years without success.

Unlike the United States, Italy does not automatically grant citizenship to children born within its borders, whether or not the child's parents are legally in the country. Liberal forces have proposed a referendum to change the law, but the government of Giorgia Malonei has opposed such changes.

Meloni met with Miley on Saturday, with discussions focused on advancing cooperation, with the two leaders expressing a shared commitment to finalise a 2025-2030 action plan to deepen their cooperation in various fields.