Deputy Premier and Transport Minister
Matteo Salvini has said he is standing by suspended anti-gay
Army General Roberto Vannacci, who is set to run in June's
European elections as a independent candidate on the League's
lists, after he came under heavy fire over remarks on disabled
school pupils.
Economy Minister and League bigwig Giancarlo Giorgetti was among
the critics of Vannacci over remarks interpreted as a call for
disabled students to be put into separate classes.
Vannacci said the comments were misconstrued and Salvini echoed
that position on Monday.
"We have recruited 13,000 new support teachers and our aim is to
include and help everyone, without excluding anyone," Salvini
said.
"More attention is certainly needed for those with the most
serious disabilities but my goal is for everyone to grow
together.
"I think that General Vannacci's words have been widely
misrepresented".
Vannacci was recently suspended from Army duty for 11 months
following a disciplinary procedure sparked by the
self-publication last year of his controversial bestseller 'Il
Mondo al Contrario' (The World Back To Front).
In the book Vannacci, a 55-year-old former paratrooper
commander, says that gays are not normal.
The book also espouses the Great Replacement conspiracy theory
about mainly Muslim migrants replacing ethnic Italians, suggests
only white people can be real Italians, and lauds
stand-your-ground self-defence laws.
Salvini said Vannacci will be among the League's candidates in
all of Italy's constituencies.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
