Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has publicly revealed her decision to separate from her long-time partner, Andrea Giambruno, a television host who has been involved in a series of embarrassing and sexist incidents.
The couple first met in 2015 and have a seven-year-old daughter together.
Meloni made the announcement on social media shortly after a TV show aired explicit comments made by Giambruno off-air to his female colleagues.
Giambruno’s behavior has raised numerous concerns, including reports of him expressing a desire for a “threesome, even a foursome.”
He also allegedly asked a colleague, “Can I touch my balls while I talk to you?”
Giambruno faced significant backlash earlier this week when a satirical TV program, Striscia La Notizia, exposed additional off-air comments in which he appeared to flirt with a female colleague by complimenting her intelligence and expressing regret at not meeting her sooner.
On October 19th, more explicit off-air comments made by Giambruno were made public. In one instance, he asked a colleague if she was single or in an open relationship.
He proceeded to boast about having an affair, claiming that “everyone” at Mediaset, the TV company he works for, knew about it. He then made inappropriate references to “group sex.”
Giambruno even asked the colleague, “Will you join our group, our working group?”
When someone questioned the potential recording of his comments by Striscia, he dismissed it, stating, “What did I say that’s so bad? We’re laughing, we’re joking around.”
This is not the first time Giambruno has courted controversy. A few months ago, he faced accusations of victim-blaming when he suggested that young women could avoid rape by not getting drunk.
At that time, he stated, “If you go dancing, you have every right to get drunk. But if you avoid getting drunk and losing consciousness, maybe you would also avoid specific problems because that’s when you find the wolf.”
In light of Giambruno’s offensive comments, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced the end of their nearly decade-long relationship.
She posted on Instagram, saying, “My relationship with Andrea Giambruno, which lasted almost ten years, concludes here. I am grateful for the wonderful years we shared, the challenges we faced, and most importantly, for the gift of our daughter Geneva.”
“Our paths have long diverged, and it is time to acknowledge that.”
“I will defend who we once were, I will defend our friendship, and I will fiercely protect our seven-year-old daughter, who loves her mother and father unconditionally, something I could not experience in my own life.”
“There is nothing more to be said on this matter.”
“PS. To all those who sought to weaken me by attacking my personal life, know that just as a drop hopes to erode a stone, the stone remains unchanged, and the drop is merely water.”
