Gennaro Sangiuliano resigned as Italy’s culture minister. His resignation follows a scandal involving an affair with an ‘advisor’.
Sangiuliano submitted an “irrevocable” resignation letter to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday. The 62-year-old minister had faced mounting pressure from the opposition to quit.
The Scandal
Reports suggested that Maria Rosaria Boccia, an influencer and businesswoman, may have accessed sensitive emails. These emails concerned the upcoming G7 Culture meeting.
Sangiuliano admitted to a relationship with Boccia in a Rai interview on Wednesday. However, he denied that she accessed classified information or received public funds.
He claimed he had revoked Boccia’s potential appointment as an official advisor due to their relationship. Sangiuliano resigned earlier in the week, but Meloni declined.
Boccia, 41, has challenged the minister’s account of events.
Sangiuliano’s resignation
In his resignation letter, Sangiuliano thanked Meloni for her support. He stated he was resigning to protect his honour and demonstrate his integrity. He also wanted to be able to show his “absolute transparency and correctness without involving the government”.
The former minister plans to take legal action, starting with a complaint to criminal prosecutors.
Alessandro Giuli, president of Rome’s MAXXI contemporary art museum, will succeed Sangiuliano as Culture Minister. Giuli is known as a conservative journalist.
Read: What do we know about Alessandro Giuli?
Ongoing investigations
The Audit Court is evaluating the case, according to sources. Sangiuliano’s lawyer, Silverio Sica, maintains there’s no evidence of blackmail against the minister.
The parliamentary committee overseeing Rai will meet on Tuesday. This follows complaints about the airtime given to Sangiuliano’s interview, and lack of opposition commentary.
Prime Minister’s response
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni faced questions over the affair following a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky in Cernobbio. She stated:
“I intend to do my job well and until the end of the legislature. And I think that Italians can understand a certain double standard,” Meloni said, speaking of the space dedicated to the Sangiuliano affair compared to the investigation by the Perugia prosecutor’s office into the dossiers created with access to data made by public officials.
“Minister Sangiuliano resigned but there is no wrongdoing. There was a lot of media attention that transformed a private affair into a public matter. I don’t think it’s something we should lend ourselves to and so I didn’t initially accept Sangiuliano’s resignation,” Meloni said.
“If anyone thinks that situations like Sangiuliano’s can weaken the government, they are wrong. The king is dead, the king lives. A minister is dismissed, good work to the new minister.”
Regarding Boccia, Meloni added, “I don’t think I should start arguing with this person; I say this for the many women who have looked at this story as I did. My idea on how a woman should gain space in society is diametrically opposed to that of this person”.
Later on X, Meloni thanked Sangiuliano for his “extraordinary work”, saying his efforts had “allowed the Italian government to achieve important results in the relaunch and enhancement of Italy’s great cultural heritage, even beyond its national borders”.
Not the only minister to be mired in scandal
One thing that can be held in Sangiuliano’s favour – he resigned. Twice. Of his own accord.
Vittorio Sgarbi, a junior culture minister, was forced to resign after allegations of illegally acquiring a Renaissance painting.
Francesco Lollobrigida – the PM’s brother-in-law and agriculture minister – ordered a high-speed train to make an unscheduled stop for him, opening the floodgates to a deluge of fury. He refused to resign.
The tourism minister, Daniela Santanché is still under investigation for a number of scandals including fraud and false accounting. She has repeatedly refused to resign and has survived votes of no confidence in the Lower House.
Meloni may be losing her patience with her cabinet. On Wednesday, she told ministers to employ more caution.
“We are making history, and we all need to be aware of it,” the prime minister said during a meeting. “This does not allow for breaks and pauses, and much less for errors and false steps.”
