Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attended the Milan Fashion Week opening gala dinner on Tuesday evening, sparking strong political controversy over her absence from the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
According to La Repubblica, Meloni appeared at the Palazzo Reale in Milan in an elegant black suit, at an event attended by the most important names in Italian and international fashion. Her presence was a surprise, as the prime minister had declined previous invitations from the fashion sector.
Meloni justified her participation by saying that this year she considered it important to give a direct signal of support for a sector that, according to her, is going through a difficult moment, but continues to provide important results for the Italian economy.
"I thought it was particularly right this year, at a difficult time for the sector, to give a physical signal of presence and closeness, not only with measures and resources," said Meloni, also mentioning the 100 million euro fund to promote investments in this industry.
But her attendance at the gala, which was taking place in New York during the UN General Assembly, quickly became a political weapon for the opposition. Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called her absence from the UN "a shame for Italy."
"At the United Nations General Assembly, governments gather and world leaders speak, while Meloni is not there. Participation in the UN is a duty, not a personal desire of the prime minister," Renzi declared from New York.
Criticism also came from the 5 Star Movement. The leader of the parliamentary group in the Chamber of Deputies, Riccardo Ricciardi, said that perhaps someone should remind the prime minister of “the wars that are unfolding and the problems that Italians are going through.”
In Milan, however, Meloni was greeted with honors by the fashion industry. The gala dinner was attended by names such as Anna Wintour, Renzo Rosso, Brunello Cucinelli, Diego Della Valle, Gildo Zegna, representatives of Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Kering and LVMH. The fashion sector in Italy represents about 5 percent of GDP and employs approximately one million people.
In the end, the evening ended with photos and greetings between the prime minister and the guests, while the political controversy continued outside the hall: for the opposition, Meloni chose the fashion scene in Milan instead of the diplomatic scene of the UN.
