Giorgia Meloni gets her hands on Rai, the Italian public broadcaster

2023-05-27T12:40:30.220Z

Highlights: Seven months after the electoral victory of the sovereignist right in Italy, Giorgia Meloni wants to "liberate" the cultural sector from the "intolerant power of the left" In a speech in Sicily, the head of the Italian government unabashedly displayed her intention to take over the country's cultural institutions. The right has placed its men in key positions in public broadcasting. Administrator, newspaper directors... The new ones are openly right-wing, not always endowed with television experience.

Seven months after the electoral victory of the sovereignist right in Italy, Giorgia Meloni wants to "liberate" the cultural sector from the "intolerant power of the left". In a speech in Sicily, the...

Giorgia Meloni gets her hands on Rai, the Italian public broadcaster

Seven months after the electoral victory of the sovereignist right in Italy, Giorgia Meloni wants to "liberate" the cultural sector from the "intolerant power of the left". In a speech in Sicily, the head of the Italian government unabashedly displayed her intention to take over the country's cultural institutions. First field of application of the great Melonian cleaning: the Rai, the public radio and television.

The tower of Rai, the Italian public broadcaster, located in Milan, February 3, 2020. © MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

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With our correspondent in Rome, Anne Tréca

Many Italians now call it Meloni TV. The right has placed its men in key positions in public broadcasting. Administrator, newspaper directors... The new ones are openly right-wing, not always endowed with television experience.

It is an Italian tradition, the political parties share the channels of the public service, each openly becoming the voice of his master. The left in its time had also placed its pawns. But with an overwhelming majority in parliament, the Meloni-Salvini-Berlusconi coalition leaves the opposition with only crumbs on radio and television. For Giorgia Meloni, the left has exercised a hegemony of power before her. It is time to establish a "meritocracy." Furious, two star presenters have slammed the door, others could follow.

Relatives placed in other areas

But the audiovisual sector is not the only area where the government is imposing itself. By a surprise decree lowering the retirement age to 70 for directors of cultural institutions, the French director of the Naples Opera, Stéphane Lissner is de facto dismissed. The reconstruction of the flood-ravaged region of Emilia-Romagna will not be entrusted to its elected governor, a democrat... According to tradition, but to an external manager and examples multiply.

The professionals chosen do not have a skill that is obviously better than those they replace. But they all have one common quality: being on excellent terms with nationalist parties.

Giorgia Meloni gets her hands on Rai, the Italian public broadcaster

Giorgia Meloni gets her hands on Rai, the Italian public broadcaster

Relatives placed in other areas

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