In an interview to be shown on Italian television tonight the Governor of Puglia Region, Nichi Vendola, will say that Italy has already had a gay Prime Minister, reports Corriere della Sera. Mr Vendola, of the Sel [Left Ecology Freedom] Party, is a communist and openly gay.
Asked by interviewer Enrico Lucci if a gay man could become Prime Minister of Italy, Mr Vendola replied that this had already happened and that the gay Premier had been a Christian Democrat. However, he refused to reveal a name, saying he would not do so even under torture.
Mr Vendola has announced his candidacy for next year’s Centre Left primary elections which will decide who will be Silvio Berlusconi’s challenger in the 2013 General Election.
In the interview Mr Vendola said that Mr Berlusconi’s greatest strength is his ability to maintain cordial relationships with his enemies but that his major fault is his duplicity, most often evident in his manipulation of language.
Mr Vendola’s interview will be screened as part of “Le Iene Show” on Italia 1 at 21.10 tonight.
