Social media influencer's leaked photos caused trouble! The Minister of Culture resigned in Italy.

The Culture Minister of the right-wing coalition government in Italy, Gennaro Sangiuliano, resigned from his position after admitting that he tried to make a woman his advisor and later confessed that she became his girlfriend. Following Sangiuliano's resignation, a quick appointment was made to fill the vacant position of the Ministry of Culture, and Alessandro Giuli, the President of the MAXXI Contemporary Art Museum Foundation in Rome, became the new Culture Minister.

GIRLFRIEND BECOMES ADVISOR, WHO IS A SOCIAL MEDIA PHENOMENON

A crisis occurred in the right-wing coalition government in Italy. The 62-year-old Culture Minister, Gennaro Sangiuliano, was at the center of a scandal that erupted after he announced that the 41-year-old social media phenomenon, Maria Rosaria Boccia, had been appointed as his advisor last month, but the Ministry of Culture denied this appointment news after the reaction from the press.

PHOTOS AND PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE WERE EXPOSED

After the denial from the Ministry, Boccia shared photos from her social media accounts showing her participation in Sangiuliano's trips and private correspondence, and her revelations that she had seen some state correspondence sparked discussions in the country. On September 4th, in a special statement to RAI channel, Sangiuliano confessed that he had a secret relationship with Boccia and stated that her travels with him were not funded by public resources but by her own pocket.

CULTURE MINISTER RESIGNED UNDER PRESSURE

In the same statement, Sangiuliano apologized to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and his wife for the "shame" he caused and stated that he had previously submitted his resignation, but the Prime Minister did not accept it. After that, Boccia's continuation of her revelations in today's La Stampa newspaper interview increased the pressure on Sangiuliano. The Minister of Culture gave a letter to Prime Minister Meloni in the late afternoon today, stating that his resignation had become inevitable and that he was leaving his position as a result.

In a written statement, Meloni stated that she accepted the resignation of Sangiuliano, whom she described as an "honest person." Opposition parties had been pressuring Prime Minister Meloni and the government since the first day the scandal became public, stating that the minister should resign due to his involvement in this scandal.

QUICK APPOINTMENT MADE TO THE MINISTRY

Following Gennaro Sangiuliano's resignation, a quick appointment was made to the Ministry of Culture, and Alessandro Giuli, the President of the MAXXI Contemporary Art Museum Foundation in Rome, became the new Culture Minister. Prime Minister Meloni announced Giuli's appointment. Giuli took an oath in front of President Sergio Mattarella in the evening and started his duty. Thus, the right-wing coalition government led by Meloni, which took office in October 2022, experienced its first ministerial resignation with Sangiuliano's resignation. Previously, Vittorio Sgarbi, the Deputy Minister of Culture in Meloni's government, had resigned in February after allegations of unfair gain during his tenure.