ROMA (ITALPRESS) – “Certo. I’ve talked to my lawyers before. What he did is crime. We cannot allow anyone, let alone someone who asks, indeed threatens to go to Parliament.” So the undersecretary of Relations with Parliament, Matilde Syracuse, in an interview with the newspaper La Repubblica, answers the question if Roberto Vannacci will report on his retouched photo published in a social post by the leader of the National Future. “I would like to say that I am speechless. Actually, I would have some words. In Sicilian, of my land. Very clear and clear. But since I represent the institution, and I have the duty to contain both irritation and punishment, for now we say that my lawyers will move. However, it is a poor attack that fully qualifies those who did so,” says Syracuse, who adds: “What a vile. But in the fullest and also etymological sense: something poor, which is worth nothing. It is absurd to have to take care, and in 2026, of these half-pieces used against opponents…”.
“To those who accuse me, without any concreteness, of having modified a photo with the IA, I reply to seek better and to turn the accusations, possibly, to those who have to… When the arguments are lacking, the attacks become personal… Continue also to take care of necklines…”. So on Facebook the leader of National Future, Roberto Vannacci, publishing the link of the blog Iacchitè, which had published the image generated with the IA that included a retouched photo of Matilde Siracusano, undersecretary of State to the Relations with the Parliament and companion of the governor of Calabria Roberto Occhiuto, next to the alternates of Reggio Calabria Fabio Roscioli, national treasurer of Forza Italia.
LE REAZIONI
In a post on social media, the leader of the National Future Roberto Vannacci published yesterday a post for the electoral campaign of the alternates in Reggio Calabria, with a retouched photo of Matilde Syracuse, undersecretary of State to the Relations with the Parliament and companion of the governor of Calabria Roberto Occhiuto, next to the candidate Fabio Roscioli, national treasurer of Forza Italia and Claudio Lot Calcioito, forzista senator and new patron. Numerous from FI and not only the messages of solidarity in Syracuse. “The one by Roberto Vannacci against Matilde Siracusano is a behavior of an unprecedented vulgarity. Freedom of expression cannot become an alibi to develop a person and use the female body as an instrument of attack,” states Forza Italia Rita Dalla Chiesa. “Why alter a photo and show a woman with a neckline not present in the original image? What is the scoop of such an attitude? Perhaps for Vannacci women are a figurine to compose at your liking? It is really unacceptable – says Dalla Chiesa – a drift of this type. It is not he who as he proclaimed will give dignity to Calabria. Because the dignity of the Calabrians have it in their dna, and Calabria has returned to the spotlight with Forza Italia, Cannizzaro and President Occhiuto. We stop calling general or ex-general a man who daily devises the honour of those who wear a uniform. Close to friend Matilde.”.
“Manipolating the image of a woman in politics, altering her clothing and publishing a fake photo, is simply unfair. And it is for those who do. It is not humor, it is not irony, it is not electoral campaign: it is lack of respect for a person, towards an institution and towards the country”, says Deborah Bergamini, national deputy secretary of Forza Italia. “Matilde Siracusano is a representative of the institutions. It must be judged for his work, for his ideas, for the results he gets. Not for a vulgar photomontage built to hit and humiliate. Who chooses this road lowers the level of comparison and offends all women who choose to stand in politics – he continues. Forza Italia has always supported a frank comparison, even harsh, but based on facts. Alterating a photograph to ridicule a colleague is the opposite of the sense of the state that is invoked in words. And he skillfully qualifies who does it.”.
“Roberto Vannacci publishes a retouched photograph of the undersecretary Matilde Syracuse, heavily modifying the clothing and showing a neckline much, but much more accentuated than the original photograph, until the top under the jacket disappears. It is simply indecent,” says Catia Polidori, national manager of Azzurro Donna Forza Italia. “Once again, the former general demonstrates that he has an idea of women passing through their sexualization. It is not enough to confront him on the political ground: to provoke he chooses to manipulate the image of a woman, altering her body and transforming it into an object to exhibit – he continues -. It is very pitiful that, even today, a woman engaged in politics must be represented through an artificially exasperated neckline instead of for her ideas, her work and her institutional role. And this should indignate all political forces, beyond the sides. Sincere solidarity with fellow Syracuse.” “If there were still some doubts about the maleism of Roberto Vannacci and his party, he now fell. To cheat the governor of Calabria, Roberto Occhiuto, Vannacci publishes a photo of his companion, Undersecretary Matilde Siracusano, with a deep neckline created artificially. It is an intolerable aggression and an act of unprecedented sexist bullying in our politics – says Mara Carfagna, secretary of Noi Moderati -. No one would ever dream of publishing manipulated photos of Vannacci’s wife and daughters to attack him politically. The idea of the woman the general proposes is unacceptable and, as far as I am concerned, is one of the most dangerous aspects of his political programme. I will fight with all my strength because this retrive and humiliating vision does not pass and I hope in a collective mobilization of women and men unavailable to retrace with respect to a goal of civilization. It will not be an exalted any one to question what we laboriously conquered. Undersecretary Syracuse goes all my solidarity”. “To change the photograph of Matilde Siracusano, altering its body to ridicule it, is a vulgar and unacceptable gesture. When to attack a lawyer, it means that the arguments are finished,” says Fulvio Martusciello, leader of Forza Italia in the European Parliament. “Matilde is a woman of the institutions, an authoritative political leader, who has never taken away from battles and criticism. Here, however, you have not disputed your political position – he continues – you have chosen the path of personal offense. Antonio Tajani did well to intervene with clear words. Political battles are done on ideas, choices and facts. Alterating the body of a woman to turn it into a dilection tool means bringing the clash on a ground that with politics has nothing to do. Our full solidarity goes to Matilde.”.
“The retouched photo of Matilde Syracuse is unbalanced and unacceptable. Sexualizing the image of a woman and using the physical aspect to strike her is a vile gesture, which has nothing to do with political confrontation. Episodes of the genre reveal a truly miserable cultural and moral level. That resorting to such an expedient is a former general makes everything even more disconcerting. My affectionate closeness to my friend Matilde for this unworthy attack.” The Minister for Institutional Reforms, Elisabetta Casellati.
“The publication of the manipulated photo of Matilde Siracusano confirms the impression that from the parts of the National Future had already abundantly given in the matter of women and conception of the political comparison: poor respect for people and for reality, and confused ideas. Other than ‘real right’”. Eugenia Roccella, Minister for the Family, Christmas and Equal Opportunities.
“Roberto Vannacci also attacks Forza Italia or me, if he thinks he can serve him for the alternate elections, which are in Reggio Calabria and not in Saxony. It compares itself to the merit, content, the future of our territories and the country, is able, with me or even with Matilde Syracuse. But who to make politics needs to retouch with a software the body of a woman has already lost, before even beginning. This is not the center where I recognize myself, and I do not think it is the one where the Italians recognize themselves.” So Roberto Occhiuto, president of the Calabria Region and vice national secretary of Forza Italia.
“The manipulated and sexist photo diffused by Vannacci against Matilde Siracusano – to which our solidarity goes – and the attempt of the members of the National Future to prevent a scientist, the infectious Matteo Bassetti, to speak are two faces of the same policy: aggressive propaganda and intolerance to comparison. The vannacciate demonstrates that FN has no culture of government, reliability or sense of responsibility, and is incompatible with the values and the political proposal of the centre-right”. This is the president of Noi Moderati Maurizio Lupi.
“I express full solidarity and closeness to Matilde Syracuse for the serious and unacceptable episode that has seen it involved. The words used by Roberto Vannacci, together with the manipulation of the image, are an expression of a violent and offensive language that must always be condemned, without itself and without but. In Matilde, whom I know as a woman and representative of the institutions, my personal and institutional solidarity goes. Respect for the person must come before any political opposition.” So on Facebook the president of the Sicilian Region Renato Schifani.
“The sheep use of artificial intelligence by Vannacci and Futuro Nazionale brings politics to the same as certain films of the 1970s. Only there is nothing to laugh here.” Nino Minardo, regional commissioner of Forza Italia in Sicily and president of the Chamber Defense Commission. “To Matilde Siracusano goes all my solidarity and support,” Minardo concludes.
– Photo of repertoire Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS)
