In recent months, Italian press coverage of the Italian citizenship by iure sanguinis has followed a worrying pattern, especially when it comes to descendants of Italians in South America.
The ball of the moment is the Argentine president, Javier Milei, whose Italian citizenship, guaranteed by law, is a birthright, but is the target of criticism.
Sensationalist headlines fuel the controversy.
O The Post (with an average of 23 million readers/month) published: “Meloni grants Italian citizenship to Javier Milei”; while the Open (26 million readers) stated: “Government granted citizenship to Javier Milei”; and the Today (44 million) followed the same line: “Meloni government will grant Italian citizenship to Argentine president Milei”.
These narratives distort the facts, insinuating that citizenship was a political “gift” from the Italian government, completely ignoring current legislation.
The net Sky TG24 The publication stated: “Javier Milei, who has excellent relations with Giorgia Meloni, is expected to receive Italian citizenship from the government based on the principle of 'ius sanguinis'. Official confirmation may occur during his participation in the Fratelli d'Italia political event.”
Other vehicles went even further. The Affaritalian (with an average of 12 million readers/month) published: “Italian citizenship for Milei. The story of the Calabrian grandfather who fled to Argentina. Meloni delivers the Christmas 'gift'”.
Even worse, when news agencies feed the narrative. The Askanews published: “Citizenship, Bonelli: Tajani must clarify whether Bolsonaro was recognized in addition to Milei”.
And to reinforce, they heard the controversial deputy Angelo Bonelli, who stated:
“The government granted Italian citizenship to Milei with a speed that many descendants of Italians abroad, with Italian parents or grandparents, do not receive. Why is Milei given this priority, while others wait years?”
What does the law actually say?
A Italian law is direct: Anyone who descends from Italian citizens, without interruption in law, is born Italian. In the case of Javier Milei, his citizenship derives from his grandfather Francesco “Ciccio” Milei, who left Calabria for Argentina in 1926.
Portraying the recognition of this citizenship as a political favor, a Christmas present, not only misinforms the public, but also calls into question the Italian legal system, suggesting that the processes depend on government interests.
Why are South Americans frequent targets?
People of South American descent are constantly portrayed in a pejorative way in the Italian media, even though they are one of the largest communities of Italian descendants in the world.
With millions of people having a legitimate claim to Italian citizenship, these families often face accusations of opportunism or seeking advantages in the European Union.
This type of scrutiny does not apply to other regions to the same extent. For example, Italian descendants in the United States are rarely treated with suspicion, even though they use the same legal mechanisms for citizenship recognition.
Sensationalism and prejudice
The distorted coverage of the Milei case reflects a veiled prejudice and the use of political narratives to question legitimate rights. Instead of informing and clarifying, part of the Italian press chooses to fuel divisions and stigmas against South American communities, ignoring that the jure sanguinis it is a universal and egalitarian legal principle.
If there is something to question, it is the choice to transform a right into a controversy, especially against one of the communities that most keeps Italy's cultural and historical roots alive abroad.
