Rome– Italy’s formidable far-right leader, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has officially severed ties with her partner of nearly a decade, Andrea Giambruno, a prominent television journalist embroiled in a series of disturbing and misogynistic comments.
In a statement shared on social media, Meloni expressed her decision, “My relationship with Andrea Giambruno, which endured for nearly a decade, concludes today.” This decision comes on the heels of two incriminating off-air recordings featuring Giambruno, a Mediaset news talk show presenter, uttering crude remarks and making inappropriate advances towards a female colleague.
The couple, who share a seven-year-old daughter named Ginevra, have parted ways amicably. Meloni’s statement included gratitude for their shared experiences, challenges, and, most significantly, the gift of their daughter. She reflected, “I thank him for the wonderful years we spent together, for the difficulties we went through and for giving me the most important thing in my life, which is our daughter Ginevra. Our paths have diverged for some time, and it is time to acknowledge it.”
In the first off-air recording, aired by another Mediaset program, Giambruno criticized comments about his hairstyle before propositioning his female colleague, stating, “Why didn’t I meet you before?” The second recording captures him suggesting a threesome or even a foursome with a different female colleague.
Giambruno had been previously embroiled in controversy for his comments regarding women’s behavior in relation to rape. In September, he faced public backlash after suggesting that women should “avoid getting drunk” to prevent sexual assault. Meloni defended him at the time, claiming that his words were misinterpreted and were akin to advice she had received from her mother about staying vigilant and cautious.
Giambruno’s questionable on-air behavior extended to climate change denial, dismissing the gravity of the climate crisis during a record-breaking heatwave in Italy this past July.
Meloni concluded her statement by pledging to protect their shared history, their friendship, and, most importantly, their seven-year-old daughter, for whom she professed an unmatched love.
The prominent politician, who ascended to power in October after her Brothers of Italy party’s resounding success in the general elections, drew parallels with her own upbringing, characterized by a single mother and estrangement from her father. Meloni and Giambruno’s love story began in a Mediaset studio, where an exhausted Meloni mistakenly handed him a half-eaten banana, believing him to be her assistant. According to Giambruno, it was love at first sight.
