In a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday, fireworks erupted, and a physical altercation ensued over a government proposal that sparked heated debate in Italy’s lower House.
The proposal, backed by Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni and aimed at expanding Italy’s regional autonomy, has faced strong opposition from some far-left lawmakers who claim it will worsen the economic disparities between the northern and southern half of the country. Currently, five regions of the country’s 20 are granted autonomy, which in part reduces the tax revenue collected by the country’s centralized government in Rome.
The incident unfolded as 5-Star Movement lawmaker Leonardo Donno, a vocal critic of the proposed changes, attempted to hand an Italian flag to regional affairs minister Roberto Calderoli, who is a proponent for the expansion of regional autonomy.
Calderoli, a member of the Lega party, drafted the legislation that would benefit populous regions like Veneto and Lombardy, which are traditional strongholds of the Lega party.
Video footage of the altercation shows lawmakers converging on Donno after his symbolic gesture, resulting in a physical confrontation that left the lawmaker hospitalized for evaluation.
“Among the various kicks, I also received a very strong punch to the sternum, and I collapsed because I couldn’t breathe,” Donno said to local media following the fight.
Footage shows two clerks trying to break up the pair before other lawmakers joined the fracas, with one wildly throwing punches at Donno, who was eventually taken away from the chamber in a wheelchair, per Reuters.
Watch the Video:
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking to Sky TG24, expressed dismay at the violent turn of events, emphasizing the need for peaceful dialogue and constructive debate in politics.
“I have no words,” Tajani said. “We need to set another example, not punches to resolve political problems… It’s not braggadocio, it’s not shouting, it’s ideas that need to be explained well to persuade voters.”
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