Article Author:
Associated Press
Nicole Winfield
ROME (AP) — King of TikTok Khaby Lame finally has another title: Italian.
The 22-year-old influencer ranks as his most popular TikToker with 148 million followers, according to the local authority Chiavasso, a municipality outside Turin, on Wednesday. took the oath of citizenship.
Lame immigrated to Italy from his native Senegal at a young age, but is now granted citizenship due to Italy's strict citizenship laws.
His situation after Lame became his most followed TikTok creator in June, and thousands of others born in Italy and raised in Italy by non-Italians The situation of young people became a hot topic. The spotlight on the "Italian TikTok king" highlights that he's not actually Italian.
In response, Italy's Deputy Interior Minister Carlo Sibyria tweeted that on June 24, Lamé's citizenship application had recently been approved.
"Dear â†*KhabyLame, We would like to inform you that a decree granting #Italiacitizenship was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in early June. We will inform you about your declaration shortly. is contacting you, good luck," Siviria tweeted.
The guarantee suggests that Lame's application went through the pipeline in the normal way and did not receive special treatment due to his newfound fame on TikTok.
Under Italian law, a child born to a non-Italian and raised in Italy may apply for citizenship at the age of 18. Critics say the regulation discriminates against thousands of children who were denied citizenship despite being culturally Italian.
Critics say the law stifles social integration and leaves some children stateless.
Italy's centre-left lawmakers routinely try to change the rules to grant citizenship early. For example, in the United States, children born in the United States acquire U.S. citizenship regardless of the nationality of their parents.
But Italian right-wingers have long argued that citizenship should only pass through Italian blood. The latest proposal calls for a child of immigrants who was born in Italy or arrived in Italy before the age of 12 to be able to apply after completing at least five years of her schooling in Italy. increase.
Chiavasso City Hall filmed the brief ceremony in which Lame became Italian and asked what had changed.
It's not that I didn't feel that way, so little has changed," Lame said. "But now, on paper, I'm officially Italian."
Lame shot his reactions to his wordless everyday life in captivating videos that made him famous on TikTok. I was. His followers skyrocketed when he was laid off from his factory job and used his extra time to create and upload more videos.
When asked how his life changed from growing up poor to becoming world-famous, Lame said his family was poor but had a happy childhood. , now states:
"I'm not used to it yet, but I'm getting used to it," he said.
