Argentina’s President Javier Milei has been granted Italian citizenship while on a state visit to Italy, a spokesperson for Italy’s Foreign Ministry told CNN.

Italy's citizenship laws are based on jure sanguinis or "right of blood", and allow even distant descendants of an Italian national to get a passport.

Javier Milei is proud of his Italian ancestry and has tried to bolster ties with Italy’s conservative prime minister. But his new passport angered critics of Italy’s rules on citizenship.

Argentina’s president received a congratulatory message from Elon Musk for reportedly balancing out the country’s budget and achieving a financial surplus in his first year of leadership. President Milei has also expressed his desire to make his country a central hub for artificial intelligence.

President Javier Milei’s first year saw a sharp decrease in inflation and a stronger peso as he implemented sweeping government cuts. Even as unemployment and poverty have surged, his approval rating still hovers around 50%.

When Mahatma Gandhi was asked what he thought of Western civilisation he replied that it would be a good idea.

Italy has bestowed Italian citizenship on Argentine President Javier Milei. Milei is eligible for citizenship because of his Italian ancestors, but the news sparked a furor among opposition politicians campaigning for the process to be eased for children born in Italy to migrant parents.