Italian minister apologises after remarks linking skirt length to marriage
The 73-year-old deputy prime minister later apologised for the remarks, which he made during a political event on Friday.
“My children are married,” he said. His comments sparked strong criticism from politicians across Italy, with former prime minister and current Florence Senator Matteo Renzi calling them “backwards”. Addressing the controversy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week, Tajani said he had been “misunderstood” and apologised for any offence his remarks may have caused, according to comments reported by Italian media. “I apologise if people felt offended by what I said, but I never intended to offend women, and I never have, either in my private or my public life,” he said.
Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani has faced backlash after suggesting that women who wear longer skirts are more suitable for marriage and more likely to make good mothers. “But if I had to advise a young man which woman to marry, I would suggest a less flashy but more reliable, more serious woman, who will certainly be a good mother.
Meloni also proposed limiting the number of foreign students in each classroom and requiring parents of foreign students facing serious integration difficulties to learn Italian. The government has not yet specified the proposed limit on foreign students. The controversy comes as Italy prepares to ban the burqa and niqab in schools, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announcing on Sunday that her government would soon take the measure to the Cabinet.