Sat Dec 14 19:28:25 UTC 2024: ## Italian Government Grants Argentinian President Milei Citizenship, Sparking Outrage
**ROME** – The Italian government’s expedited granting of citizenship to Argentinian President Javier Milei and his sister Karina has ignited a firestorm of criticism. Opponents denounce the decision as blatant favoritism, highlighting the stark contrast between the swift process for Milei, based on his Italian heritage, and the lengthy bureaucratic hurdles faced by Italian-born citizens of foreign descent.
Lawmaker Riccardo Magi of the +Europa party called the move “intolerable discrimination,” pointing to the arduous 10-year residency requirement for most foreigners seeking Italian citizenship. He emphasized the plight of millions of young Italians, born and raised in the country, who must navigate extensive paperwork and lengthy waiting periods, unlike President Milei.
Current laws mandate a decade of residency before citizenship applications can even be considered, a period that applies even to children born in Italy to foreign parents, who must wait until age 18. While organizations like Oxfam Italia advocate for shortening this waiting period to match other EU nations, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has steadfastly resisted such reforms.
The timing of the citizenship grant, following a state visit by President Milei during which he met with Prime Minister Meloni and attended a right-wing youth event, has fueled speculation of political motivations. The two leaders share a strong ideological bond, as evidenced by Meloni’s gift to Milei of a chainsaw figurine, a nod to his campaign imagery.
While this isn’t the first instance of an Argentinian president holding dual Italian citizenship – former President Mauricio Macri also possessed an Italian passport – the controversy underscores the perceived inequities within Italy’s citizenship process and the growing political divide surrounding immigration and nationality.
First Piper 