Italy's deputy prime minister and leader of the right-wing Lega, Matteo Salvini, has given his full backing to General Roberto Vannacci, who has been suspended from his post after making derogatory comments about homosexuals and others.
With Vannacci at his side, Salvini presented his new book, "Controvento" (Headwind), in Rome on Tuesday. Vanacci will stand as a non-party candidate for the Lega in the European elections in June, but is a controversial figure even within right-wing circles.
The general, who was involved in many Italian missions abroad, himself published a book last year without the prior knowledge of the army leadership.
In it, he described homosexuals as "not normal" and spoke of what he saw as a "dictatorship of minorities." Recently, he sparked a firestorm when he called for separate classes for children with disabilities.
"Your experience and your skills will bring great added value to the Lega community," Salvini said to Vannacci, the ANSA news agency reported. Vannacci spoke out against a common European defence force, which he said would not work. "Who is in charge? Who decides? Who gives the orders?" he asked.
The Lega belongs to the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament, along with Germany's AfD and Austria's FPÖ, among others. In the 2019 European elections it became the strongest force in Italy, securing 34% of the vote and winning 28 of the country's 73 European Parliament seats. It is currently polling at around 8.5%, far behind the Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which is polling at more than 27%.
Salvini said on Tuesday that the EU election would have no impact on the government.
