Italian minister admits to affair with influencer, whom he tried to hire

In a scandal stirring up Italy’s political landscape, Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano has publicly admitted to a romantic relationship with social media influencer Maria Rosaria Boccia. His attempt to hire her as a consultant for Italy’s Ministry of Culture has become the latest controversy.

During a tearful interview on Wednesday night with Italy’s state broadcaster, RAI, Sangiuliano, a staunch ally of Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, confessed to the affair. He revealed that he had offered his resignation to Meloni, but she declined to accept it.

The scandal first surfaced last week when Boccia took to Instagram to announce her new advisory role within the culture ministry. Her post, detailing a position related to major events, was immediately met with confusion as the ministry quickly denied her claims. In response, Boccia went further – sharing photos and documents, including images of herself on official trips with Sangiuliano. One notable destination was Positano, where they purportedly scouted locations for the upcoming G7 ministerial meeting on culture.

The twist? Sangiuliano, who is married, confirmed that Boccia had indeed accompanied him on these work-related trips. However, he claims the advisory role was swiftly revoked after legal concerns about their “personal, sentimental” relationship were raised. The conflict of interest was simply too glaring to ignore.

Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano’s confession

“I made a mistake, and I deeply regret the embarrassment this has caused to my family, my colleagues, and the government,” Sangiuliano tearfully admitted, apologising publicly to his wife, and Prime Minister Meloni. Importantly, the minister stressed that no public funds were used to cover the expenses related to Boccia’s involvement, and that she had no access to sensitive government documents.

A rough year for the Italian Culture Ministry

This is not the first time Sangiuliano’s department has found itself in the hot seat this year. Just months ago, Vittorio Sgarbi, then undersecretary at the Ministry of Culture, was forced to resign following accusations of laundering stolen artwork. The ministry has been under a cloud of controversy, and this latest scandal certainly doesn’t help.

For Meloni, this could be yet another test of her leadership. Although Sangiuliano’s offer to resign was rejected, the optics of a high-profile affair and allegations of misconduct within her ranks may weigh heavily on her government. With Italy preparing for significant international events, including the aforementioned G7 summit, maintaining a steady hand on domestic issues is crucial.