Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ends relationship after inappropriate comments made off-air during a television broadcast

Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has announced her separation from long-time partner Andrea Giambruno. The announcement came after explicit comments made by Giambruno off-air were broadcast on a TV show. Meloni stated that their relationship, which lasted almost 10 years, had come to an end due to their diverging paths. The couple, who met in 2015, have a seven-year-old daughter named Ginevra. In her social media post, Meloni expressed gratitude to Giambruno for the time they spent together and for giving her their daughter. She also addressed those who sought to weaken her by intruding on her family, comparing herself to an unbreakable rock. Giambruno came under fire when off-air comments in which he flirted with a female colleague were aired on a satirical TV program. Further explicit comments were later broadcast, in which he discussed an affair and made lewd references to group sex. Giambruno has not yet responded to either Meloni's announcement or his off-air comments. This is not the first time he has caused controversy, as he previously made controversial statements about a gang-rape case. Meloni, known for her adherence to traditional Catholic family values and opposition to same-sex parenting, has faced criticism in the past. However, her allies, including Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani, came out in support of her. Mediaset, the TV company Giambruno works for, was previously owned by Silvio Berlusconi, who was accused of perpetuating sexism and machismo in Italian television.