Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni demonstrated this dynamic recently when she publicly reprimanded CGIL leader Maurizio Landini. He, the head of the CGIL labor union, had called her the “courtesan” of then-U.S. President Donald Trump. The remarks drew sharp criticism from Meloni, who took to social media to denounce the comment, sharing a screenshot that defined “courtesan” as “woman of easy virtue, heterosexual; euphemism, prostitute.”
The exchange escalated following Landini’s statement during a televised interview, where he suggested that Meloni’s political alignment with Trump was akin to being his “lackey.” Admitting no fault, he asserted that his remarks were not sexist at all — just a critique of her political leadership. In response, Meloni said as much of what Landini put forward as “increasing malice.” She challenged her left-wing opponents for telling her to respect women and using b—- in the process.
“Evidently clouded by a mounting resentment (which I can understand),” – Giorgia Meloni
Meloni has long sought to build friendly relations with Trump, evidenced by their handshake at the recent Gaza summit in Egypt, where she stood out as the only woman among leaders discussing Middle Eastern peace. At a recent summit in Japan, Trump praised Meloni as “beautiful” and stated that she was setting an inspirational example for women in politics.
In response to the controversy, Meloni expressed solidarity with women who have faced similar insults and emphasized that Italian citizens have defended her dignity. She challenged the hypocrisy of progressive politicians. For one, they claim to support women’s rights while at the same time insulting a female head of state.
“Fortunately, the Italian citizens took to the street to defend the dignity and honour of this country.” – Maurizio Landini
In response to the criticism, Landini asserted that there was nothing sexist about his remarks. He further explained that he was hoping to draw attention to what he viewed as Meloni’s cowering posture before Trump. He went on to clarify those comments in detail during the interview. The fact that they were reading it like this, he was saying, was driving him nuts.
This incident has ignited, particularly on social media, a nationwide discussion about gendered language in politics, and the treatment of female leaders. Meloni’s reflexive rebuttal to Landini’s comments has inspired countless defenders of civil discourse, but the critical defense of civility has a history.