‘Long skirts, good mothers': Italian minister sparks outrage over sexist remarks

Italian minister apologises after remarks linking skirt length to marriage

Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani has faced backlash after suggesting that women who wear longer skirts are more suitable for marriage and more likely to make good mothers.“My children are married,” he said. “But if I had to advise a young man which woman to marry, I would suggest a less flashy but more reliable, more serious woman, who will certainly be a good mother.“Ready to provide the necessary answers, always present. Perhaps less pretty, with a slightly longer skirt. But while with the attractive one you might get a few ‘cornettos’, with the other you are certainly sure of everlasting love.

She will keep her promise to marry and ensure the stability of the home. She will be there.," he added.The 73-year-old deputy prime minister later apologised for the remarks, which he made during a political event on Friday. His comments sparked strong criticism from politicians across Italy, with former prime minister and current Florence Senator Matteo Renzi calling them “backwards”.Renzi also shared an AI-generated image of Tajani wearing a short denim mini-skirt in a satirical response to his remarks.

Addressing the controversy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week, Tajani said he had been “misunderstood” and apologised for any offence his remarks may have caused, according to comments reported by Italian media.“I apologise if people felt offended by what I said, but I never intended to offend women, and I never have, either in my private or my public life,” he said.The controversy comes as Italy prepares to ban the burqa and niqab in schools, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announcing on Sunday that her government would soon take the measure to the Cabinet.Meloni also proposed limiting the number of foreign students in each classroom and requiring parents of foreign students facing serious integration difficulties to learn Italian. The government has not yet specified the proposed limit on foreign students.