International correspondent
“Spicy” lyrics, “advisor” influencer girlfriend rock Meloni’s government as culture minister resigns | Italy
The resignation of Italy's Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano on Friday after he admitted to an extramarital affair with a ministry adviser has given hope to Italian industry that his departure could help remove regulatory barriers that many say are slowing production.
Sangiuliano resigned on Friday amid a scandal that dominated Italian headlines for days and rocked Italy’s right-wing government, led by Giorgia Meloni. It involved Maria Rosaria Boccia, a self-described fashion entrepreneur who claimed on Instagram that she had been hired as an adviser to the ministry. After Sangiuliano denied this, it emerged that they had been having an affair.
Sangiuliano has been replaced as culture minister by Alesandro Giuli, head of Rome’s MAXXI museum of contemporary art and architecture. Giuli traveled to the Venice Film Festival on Saturday to attend the closing ceremony, where anger was expressed over long-awaited legislation drafted by Sangiuliano. The new law would introduce controversial changes to crucial tax breaks for film and TV productions in the country, making it much harder for smaller independent producers to benefit from the advantages.
