In Italy, an old photo of a designated state secretary of the new right-wing government with a swastika armband caused a stir. The picture shows politician Galeazzo Bignami from the ultra-right governing party Fratelli d’Italia in a black shirt and red armband. The recording is said to have been taken during a bachelor party in 2005, as several media reported on Tuesday.
Fratelli boss and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wants to make the 47-year-old State Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure led by Lega boss Matteo Salvini. The swearing-in ceremony for the state secretaries is scheduled for Wednesday.
According to reports from various media, the photo was already circulating publicly in 2016. Bignami said on Monday he was ashamed of the admission.
But it was absurd to publish almost 20-year-old private photos again, for which he had apologized several times.
