The Sanremo Song Festival ended on a high note early Sunday morning despite political rows. Some members of Premier Giorgia Meloni’s rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party called for the decapitation or privatisation of State broadcaster Rai because of a perceived leftwing bias.
The Sanremo Song Festival, which inspired the Eurovision song contest, finished with a record audience figure of over 12 million viewers. Some 66% of the share tuned in to see favourite Marco Mengoni claim his second crown, earning the right to represent Italy at Eurovision.
Why were the right wing upset?
The mood was slightly soured by FdI attacks on Rai after a string of ‘political’ incidents and statements construed as being anti-government. Among them was Life Is Beautiful star Roberto Benigni hymning the postwar anti-fascist Constitution. The volleyball star Paola Egonu called Italy racist, whilst rapper Fedez ripped up a 2005 photo of an FdI member dressed as Hitler. Fedez also went on to call for the legalisation of cannabis and share a full-on kiss with gender fluid rapper Rosa Chemical.
Further, League leader Matteo Salvini also fulminated against a message to the festival by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This was despite Meloni saying she would have preferred an original plan to have the Ukrainian leader appear in a video.
Hist Amadeus was delighted with the viewing figures but also said “if they send me away then I’ll go”.
Rai officials refuted the FdI MPs’ accusations and said the festival had always featured political moments which were not to be taken too seriously.
