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.