Silvia Colombo, the councilor and group leader of Fratelli d'Italia in Treviglio who ended up at the center of controversy for having uttered a phrase in the City Council that suggested to pregnant councilors the possibility of resigning from the council chamber, announces her resignation.
A step back that also comes in controversy with the party of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni : «They have faced this media storm too lightly». «Politics - she adds - cannot be a sinister power game, made up of personal attacks, opportunism and empty promises. This is why I have decided to resign and go back to work and be a mother ».
The controversy erupted in the last few hours after the center-right majority of the Bergamo municipality rejected a motion with which the Democratic Party asked for the possibility for at-risk pregnant women and new parents to participate in the city council remotely.
Silvia Colombo ended up in the storm: "In life there are priorities. If someone holds the office of city councilor, participation must be the first thing to put it - said the FdI representative -. Then good things happen in life, like the birth of a child or changing jobs or bad things like illness, then perhaps you need to reconsider your priorities. Participation in the life of the council can become secondary (and that's fair). But at that point the true form of respect for those who participate and voted for us is to resign" .
Words that however were denied in the evening by the head of the Family Department of Brothers of Italy Maddalena Morgante: «We distance ourselves from the words of the councilor of Treviglio, because they do not represent the line of Brothers of Italy and appear to be in stark contrast with the agenda of the Meloni government, which sees the protection of the family and maternity as an absolute priority . Policies in favor of birth rates and the conciliation of family and work are central, we have demonstrated this not only with words, but with contingent interventions and adequate resources», says Morgante, not without adding that «the valorization of maternity and access to equal career opportunities are the pillars of our commitment».
The social complaint of the Democratic group leader, Matilde Tura, is ready, proudly posting her pregnant photo among the seats of the city council. "I believe that the task of politics and institutions - we are close to March 8 - is to concretely remove all the obstacles, large or small, that especially women still have today in giving their contribution to society, in the workplace, in politics, in all sectors. I am sincerely sorry that this opportunity was not seized". Above all, she adds, "by parties that make the issue of birth rate and extended family and massive electoral propaganda".
Juri Imeri, the Northern League mayor of Treviglio, also intervenes on the issue. "I cannot agree with the association maternity or illness equals resignation. And my council does not agree with it either. But the discussion was broader." The issue, he points out, "was the remote connection." The mayor claims the vote against the motion because "we have always reiterated that the city council is held in person." Although, he admits, "by toning down a bit we would have avoided the opportunity to create a controversy."
The Lombardy Democratic Party speaks of a "medieval and retrograde vision". "I would like to know Giorgia Meloni's opinion on a topic of this type since we are talking about Brothers of Italy", comments ironically Pierfrancesco Majorino, leader of the Democratic Party in the Region. The same question is asked by fellow M5S councilor Paola Pizzighini according to whom Colombo said "terrifying" words while "Brothers of Italy takes us back fifty years".
(Online Union)