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Italian outcry as MP Pozzolo’s gun wounds man at New Year’s Eve party

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A New Year’s Eve celebration turned into a political controversy when it was revealed that a man was lightly wounded by a gunshot fired from a gun owned by Italian far-right MP Emanuele Pozzolo, a member of Prime Minister Georgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party. Although Pozzolo admitted bringing the gun, he denied firing the shot, which injured a 31-year-old man in the leg.

The incident occurred in the small town of Rosazza in the northern Piedmont region, leading local prosecutors to launch an investigation. Pozzolo, 38, reportedly showed his .22 caliber mini-revolver, a weapon he has a license to own, to party guests. The gun was passed between guests and accidentally went off, hitting one person in the leg.

Andrea Delmastro, a party colleague and junior justice minister, claimed he was unaware of Pozzolo having a gun and had stepped outside when the shot was fired. The wounded man happened to be the son-in-law of a member of Delmastro’s security team.

Pozzolo invoked parliamentary immunity to avoid gunpowder residue tests on his clothes. Prime Minister Meloni’s party stated that the incident had no “political relevance” and emphasized that local authorities would investigate. Meloni has not yet responded to the incident.

Critics, including the centre-left opposition leader Elly Schlein, called for action, describing the individuals involved as “incompetents” and a danger to security. Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi criticized Brothers of Italy, calling them “inadequate, incompetent, and dangerous.”

Pozzolo, previously a member of Matteo Salvini’s League before joining Brothers of Italy, has been a vocal opponent of Covid-19 vaccines, labeling them “experimental,” and has opposed Italy’s “Green Pass” system requiring proof of immunization for access to certain venues.

In a separate incident, a 55-year-old woman was shot and killed at a New Year’s Eve celebration near Naples, with a man arrested in connection to the death.

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Andrea Giambruno: Meloni’s ex-partner dropped as TV host over lewd remarks

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Andrea Giambruno, former partner of Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, has been removed from his position as host of a national TV show following the leakage of off-air sexist comments to another program.

The TV company, Mediaset, has stated that Giambruno will retain an editorial role on the show. Meloni recently announced her separation from Giambruno after a recording of his conversation, which was broadcast on a satirical TV show, prompted controversy.

Mediaset, owned by the family of late Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, has replaced Giambruno’s role with journalist Manuela Boselli. There have been speculations in Italian media about the impact of this incident on the tensions within the Meloni government.

However, both the Berlusconi family and Forza Italia have denied any involvement in the leak. Meloni, known for her adherence to traditional Catholic family values, has emphasized the importance of a mother and father in a child’s life.

Antonio Ricci, director of the show that aired the recording, had earlier suggested that the incident might eventually benefit Meloni. Reports indicate that Giambruno had often joked about his relationship with the prime minister, and further embarrassing recordings could potentially emerge, according to sources.

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