A tumult erupted in the Italian parliament regarding the far-right government’s proposal to increase regional autonomy, drawing comparisons to the authoritarian era, with some likening the scuffle to the days of fascism.
Wednesday evening saw a confrontation erupt when Five Star Movement (MS5) deputy Leonardo Donno attempted to wrap an Italian flag around the neck of Roberto Calderoli, the regional affairs minister from the pro-autonomy Northern League party.
Donno’s action aimed to protest against proposals to offer increased autonomy to regions seeking it, a move critics contend undermines the unity of Italy.
In retaliation, League deputies, alongside Calderoli, abandoned their seats en masse to confront Donno, resulting in a chaotic altercation involving approximately 20 individuals. Donno, injured during the commotion, required evacuation in a wheelchair before receiving medical attention at the hospital.
The melee sparked a flurry of responses from political figures and dominated the headlines of Italian newspapers, with numerous voices condemning the conduct of the elected officials as a poor example.
La Repubblica bemoaned, referring to the post-World War I paramilitary groups that later evolved into Benito Mussolini’s notorious Blackshirts, that the far-right faction is engaged in parliamentary clashes.
Corriere della Sera, Italy’s foremost daily, likened the parliamentary chamber to a “boxing ring.” Members of the League and the Brothers of Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party, alleged that Donno deliberately incited the altercation and questioned the authenticity of his injuries.
The M5S condemned what they labeled as a “grave and disgraceful assault” and urged swift action. Giuseppe Conte, their leader, posted on the social media platform X, attributing the violence to the ranks of the Meloni-led coalition, expressing disdain.
A massive brawl broke out in the Italian parliament
Left-wing MPs accused their right-wing opponents of using "squadrismo", a reference to the violence used by Mussolini's Blackshirts during the fascist regime of the 1920s and 1930s.
The fight broke out during a debate over… pic.twitter.com/5FyTMn0Uj4
— S p r i n t e r F a m i l y (@SprinterFamily) June 13, 2024
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani recognized the need for lawmakers to uphold higher standards, emphasizing on Sky TG24 that politicians must provide a markedly different model.
He remarked that the parliamentary chamber is not a venue for physical altercations, stressing that political issues should not be resolved through violence.
Detractors argue that the autonomy proposal may lead to reductions in public services in the most economically disadvantaged regions.
The turmoil witnessed in parliament is not without precedent. In 2021, lawmakers from the Brothers of Italy, a party with post-fascist origins, disrupted a debate on the Covid-19 health pass by swarming the center of the chamber.
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