(Bloomberg) -- Italy’s culture minister quit after questions arose about the role of an entrepreneur and influencer at his ministry, marking Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s first cabinet resignation since she took office almost two years ago.
Gennaro Sangiuliano’s announcement on Friday capped a tumultuous week in Italian politics that included his tearful apology on television about the controversy surrounding Maria Rosaria Boccia and her alleged participation in official business.
It’s a blow to Meloni, who had pledged to complete five years in power without changes in her coalition government and faces a challenging budget season amid European Union scrutiny of Italy’s deficit.
Meloni’s government is targeting a deficit below 3% in 2026, though it isn’t clear how it can reach that outcome, Bloomberg reported Thursday. Separately, EU Affairs Minister Raffaele Fitto is likely to leave her cabinet after being nominated for a European Commission post.
Sangiuliano said in a letter to Meloni that he had decided to leave after “painful days filled with hatred” for him. He thanked Meloni for her support and for rejecting his first offer to resign.
While Boccia had no formal position at the Culture Ministry, she took part in government meetings for the organization of cultural events, according to her account and Italian media reports. She is also said to have been included on email chains that may have contained sensitive or classified information.
If Meloni loses more than one minister, Italian President Sergio Mattarella is likely to request a confidence vote in parliament for the government, potentially opening up a political crisis.
Replacing more than one minister could also change the balance of power in the governing coalition comprised of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, Matteo Salvini’s League and Antonio Tajani’s Forza Italia.
Meloni named Alessandro Giuli, a journalist and chairman of the foundation of modern art museum in Rome, as new culture minister.
--With assistance from Flavia Rotondi.
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