Italy’s parliament erupted into violence on Wednesday when a lawmaker was attacked while trying to hand an Italian flag to another MP over a local government bill.
The scuffle broke out in the Chamber of Deputies when Leonardo Dono from the populist Five Star Movement was set upon by other MPs after the Minister of Regional Affairs refused to accept the flag.
According to local media, the lawmakers had been discussing a bill on so-called differentiated autonomy, introduced by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The draft law calls for Italy’s individual administrative regions to be given wider rights of self-governance, which the Five Star Movement is against, fearing it will lead to the “disintegration of Italy.”
Video recordings from Wednesday’s parliamentary punch-up show Donno trying to hand the flag to the Minister for Regional Affairs and Autonomy, Roberto Calderoli.
During the ensuing brawl, Dono was knocked to the ground and later taken to hospital in a wheelchair.
He later told La7 TV he had been punched and kicked and had gone to hospital for treatment after feeling dizzy.
The parliament’s Speaker of the House said he is now examining video footage of the incident to establish what happened before taking any measures.
According to local media, the lawmakers had been discussing a bill on so-called differentiated autonomy, introduced by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The draft law calls for Italy’s individual administrative regions to be given wider rights of self-governance, which the Five Star Movement is against, fearing it will lead to the “disintegration of Italy.”
Video recordings from Wednesday’s parliamentary punch-up show Donno trying to hand the flag to the Minister for Regional Affairs and Autonomy, Roberto Calderoli.
At the same time, other MPs are seen rushing towards him and confronting him.Italy 🇮🇹
— Brunella C. (@BrunellaCapitan) June 12, 2024
“ Brawl in the Chamber during the discussion on Autonomy, Giuseppe Conte: "We have reached the point of violence from the benches of the Meloni majority. They attacked our Leonardo Donno because he brought the tricolor to Minister Calderoli, because we say
👎🏽 NO
to… pic.twitter.com/w8t7DAsSQf
During the ensuing brawl, Dono was knocked to the ground and later taken to hospital in a wheelchair.
He later told La7 TV he had been punched and kicked and had gone to hospital for treatment after feeling dizzy.
The parliament’s Speaker of the House said he is now examining video footage of the incident to establish what happened before taking any measures.
Source: PAP/novinite.com
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