Rome, Jun. 13, (dpa/GNA) – An opposition lawmaker was wheeled out of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament, in a wheelchair on Wednesday following a brawl.
Leonardo Donno, from the populist Five Star Movement (M5S), was pushed by other lawmakers and knocked to the floor in the chaotic scenes in the larger of the two chambers of parliament, according to local media reports.
The chamber was discussing a bill on so-called differentiated autonomy introduced by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The draft provides for the country’s regions to be given more autonomous powers. The opposition has criticized the plan.
The regions in Italy’s south in particular fear that the state could withdraw from important areas such as health and education and that the population in economically underdeveloped parts of the country could experience disadvantages as a result.
During the first reading of the bill a few months ago, there had been verbal disputes between the government and the opposition in the Senate.
During the second reading in the lower chamber, opposition lawmakers held up Italian national flags and sang the national anthem. They say they fear the “disintegration of Italy.”
A video shows Donno trying to present the flag to Minister for Regional Affairs and Autonomies Roberto Calderoli, and several lawmakers rushing towards him and harassing him.
It initially remained unclear whether Donno fell to the ground due to punches or kicks. The president of the Chamber of Deputies interrupted the session and announced that he would scrutinize the video footage of the incident and take further action.
Speaking to broadcaster La7 after the events, Donno said that he was in hospital waiting to be checked out after being punched and “receiving a number of kicks.”
“I received this really strong punch to the sternum and I collapsed to the ground, I couldn’t breathe,” he said. “I was quite scared. I could not have imagined something like this could happen in the Chamber of Deputies, I still can’t believe it.”
Donno’s M5S party characterized the events as “grave and shameful” in a social media post, calling for “serious and immediate measures.”