Forza Italia

Forza Italia is an Italian political party. It is headed by Silvio Berlusconi, who also is Prime Minister of Italy.

Polemics about racist statements

On August 2005, Marcello Pera, Speaker of the Italian Senate and a member of Forza Italia, was harshly criticised for saying Italians risked becoming members of a "mixed race" because of immigration. Pera is also well known for his islamophobic views. Many prominent members of Forza Italia, like for example the Minister of Interiors Giuseppe Pisanu, distanced themselves from Pera's racist statements. On September 2005, Forza Italia MP Guido Crosetto, a member of the House Finance Committee, claimed that Bank of Italy Governor Antonio Fazio, involved in a controversial banking takeover probe, was the victim of a "Jewish, masonic plot". Berlusconi apologized for Crosetto's anti-semitic comments but denied racist charges claiming that "nobody can doubt the party's liberal nature" and that "Italian Government is one of Israel's best friends". Berlusconi himself was accused of racism when he claimed that Western civilization is "superior" to Islam.

Related Topics:
August - 2005 - Italian Senate - Islamophobic - Racist - September - Bank of Italy - Antonio Fazio - Anti-semitic - Israel

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