Just as Italy prepared to host the annual Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Puglia, a video of a full-blown brawl in the country’s Parliament is going viral on the internet.
A scuffle over a bill erupted Wednesday evening when Leonardo Donno, a deputy from the Five Star Movement, approached regional affairs minister Roberto Calderoli representing the pro-autonomy Northern League, while displaying an Italian flag.
The flight stemmed from Donno’s opposition to proposals to grant greater autonomy to regions seeking it, which he aimed to symbolise with the flag. Critics contend that such measures could weaken Italy’s national unity.
Ahead of G-7 summit, brawl breaks out in Italian Parliament. Watch to know more!#G7Summit #Brawl #Italy pic.twitter.com/OpitsAN93X— News18 (@CNNnews18) June 14, 2024
Injured in the scuffle, Donno had to be wheeled out in a wheelchair and taken to a hospital, CBS reported. The brawl sparked numerous reactions from political figures and dominated the front pages of Italian newspapers. Many rebuked the behaviour exhibited by elected officials.
“Parliament resembles a boxing ring,” remarked Italy’s leading daily Corriere della Sera, while La Repubblica lamented, “The squadrist right is fighting in parliament,” drawing parallels to the paramilitary forces of the post-World War I era, which later evolved into Benito Mussolini’s Blackshirts.
Following the incident, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed regret over the incident. He said, “We need to set another example, not resort to violence to resolve political disagreements.” The G7 Summit, which spans from Thursday to Saturday, brings together leaders from the European Union and six other nations, including US President Joe Biden.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in southern Italy to attend the Outreach session of the G7 Summit and hold “productive discussions” on a wide range of issues with world leaders, including a possible bilateral with Biden.
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