Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni revealed on Friday that she has parted ways with her partner, television journalist Andrea Giambruno, who recently faced widespread criticism for his sexist remarks.
Stating that she should not be held accountable for Giambruno’s comments, Meloni had previously asserted that she would refrain from addressing questions about his conduct in the future. The split coincides with the prime minister’s one-year anniversary in office, leading a right-wing coalition government that champions the traditional family as one of its key policy foundations.
Expressing her sentiments on social media, Meloni wrote, “My relationship with Andrea Giambruno, which lasted almost 10 years, ends here. Our paths have diverged for some time, and the time has come to acknowledge it.” She further emphasized that she would not be deterred by personal difficulties, stating that any attempts to undermine her would prove futile.
Meloni and Giambruno, who initially met in a TV studio in 2014, share a seven-year-old daughter. Giambruno, 42, is the presenter of a news program on Mediaset, a part of the MFE media group owned by the heirs of the late Silvio Berlusconi, a former prime minister and an ally of Meloni.
The recent scrutiny intensified after a satirical current affairs television show aired off-air video excerpts from Giambruno’s program, revealing his use of coarse language, suggestive gestures, and inappropriate comments to a female colleague. These actions have sparked further outrage and condemnation, particularly in the wake of his previous comments in August that were perceived as victim-blaming in a high-profile gang rape case.
At present, Giambruno has not provided any immediate comment on the matter. Marco Furfaro of the opposition Democratic Party condemned Giambruno’s conduct, describing it as “pure chauvinism and sexism… uncommentable filth.”
