Argentine President, Javier Milei has been granted Italian citizenship by Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni while on a visit to Rome.
According to local media, the applications had been initiated by the Italian government in recent weeks with an exclusive fast-track procedure.
Meloni received the ultra-liberal Argentine president in Rome’s Palazzo Chigi Friday evening, the seat of the Italian government.
The two have established a close relationship, with Milei last month giving Meloni a statuette of himself brandishing a chainsaw — a reference to his political campaign rally posturing on public spending cuts.
The move drew criticism from the country’s left-wing opposition, with lawmakers accusing Meloni of acting on a whim while denying citizenship to the Italian-born children of immigrants.
Milei’s Italian grandparents emigrated to Argentina in the early 20th century, providing justification for Meloni to grant him citizenship.
A few months ago, Milei stated that he was “75% Italian”.
