Controversy erupted in the Chamber of Deputies over a remark made by Five Star Movement member Francesco Silvestri during the debate on the prime minister's communications.

To underline what he believes is Giorgia Meloni's subservience to Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu , Silvestri used a metaphor that infuriated centre-right exponents and was also strongly criticized by his allies in the Democratic Party.

These are her words: "After the referendum, it was said that the government's line was to straighten out its back, to rise above the position it had taken towards Netanyahu and Trump, but she didn't straighten out her back, she simply put on knee pads to be more comfortable . We need a completely different leader, and I hope that will be the case in a few months."

A sexist attack , according to Fratelli d'Italia: "It's shameful," Paolo Trancassini immediately criticized in his speech, "to say that someone should put on kneepads instead of raising their head. I say this to the fine souls of the left. You know perfectly well when a woman is told she should put on kneepads in front of a man. This is shameful , I hope an investigation is opened."

Giorgia Meloni , in her response to the speeches in the Chamber, also focused on this passage: "Boldrini was outraged because her colleague addressed me as 'Mr. President.' I wonder if this is truly the point of respecting women. Or is it rather listening to a colleague tell me I wore kneepads. Mr. Silvestri, what you cannot accept is that there is a woman who got where she is without ever wearing kneepads, without favoritism, and without shortcuts. It bothers you that the first female prime minister came from the right because you were incapable of nominating her."

The prime minister then took to social media, sharing the video of Silvestri's attack and writing: "There are those who engage in politics with insults and vulgarity. And those who respond with their own story."

The Vice President of the Chamber , Anna Ascani (Democratic Party), was leading the proceedings of the Chamber when Silvestri spoke: "I apologize to the Chamber. If I had understood the meaning that was later described in those words, I would have intervened. I did not, and I apologize."

Democratic Party MP Lia Quartapelle also criticized the remarks, calling them "scurrilous" and expressing her "solidarity" with the Prime Minister.

Laura Boldrini , directly addressed by Meloni: "The Prime Minister never misses an opportunity to exploit feminist concerns for her own benefit, even in the Chamber of Deputies. Yes, I expressed impatience when my colleague from the Italian Democratic Party (FDI) kept calling Giorgia Meloni "Mr. President" because I consider it ridiculous for a woman to be addressed in the masculine form. Ridiculous and contrary to Italian grammar. Just as I consider it reprehensible to call a woman "wearing kneepads" to represent her political subordination to a man ."

"We are distant and outraged by the things said in the Chamber about knee pads or no knee pads," said Carlo Calenda speaking in the Senate.

"No one apologized, if the roles had been reversed pandemonium would have ensued but your double standards know no dignity ", thundered the FdI group leader in the Chamber Galeazzo Bignami .

And while calls have been made, especially from the center-right, for Giuseppe Conte to expel Silvestri, the M5S leader defended his MP: "No personal offense. It's obvious that this criticism stems from subservience. So there's nothing to speculate about."

Finally, Silvestri himself clarified: "Let's not exploit this. This government has been kneeling before Trump and Netanyahu's policies for four years: this explains the mystery of my words . If anyone wanted to turn the accusation I made against a clear political stance into a sexist attitude, then they are acting in bad faith, with the sole purpose of exploiting and hiding the truth . Moreover, they did so without any knowledge of my political history or that of the Five Star Movement. My culture is different from that of others: my name is Silvestri and my surname ends with an I and not an O," the latter a clear reference to FI parliamentarian Francesco Silvestro, under investigation for sexual assault after an accusation by a businesswoman.

(Unioneonline/L)

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