Gennaro Sangiuliano: Italian minister quits in row over lover's appointment as adviser

The culture minister admits to hiring his ex-lover as an consultant, after starting an affair with her in May.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersItalian minister quits after appointing ex-lover as adviserGetty ImagesItaly's culture minister has resigned after a row over the appointment of his former mistress as a top adviser caused weeks of controversy for the the country's right-wing government.

Gennaro Sangiuliano, 62, found himself at the centre of a media storm when Maria Rosaria Boccia - his ex-lover - posted on LinkedIn that she had been appointed as his adviser for "major events".

He initially denied the claim, but in a tearful interview with state TV on Wednesday, Mr Sangiuliano admitted to the affair with Ms Boccia and to hiring her as an unpaid consultant.

On Friday, he finally handed in his resignation to Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, but denied that he had broken any ministerial rules.

Mr Sangiuliano also apologised to his wife in Wednesday's interview and claimed that he had broken off his affair with Ms Boccia during the summer. He said he first met her in Naples in May, before their friendship transitioned into what he called a “sentimental relationship”.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4xkr5zvpdo

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