"Italian Foreign Minister Mocked Online After 'Longer Skirt' Remark"

As Controversy Grows,
"I Never Intended to Offend Women"

An artificial intelligence (AI)-generated photo showing the Italian Foreign Minister in a skirt is spreading online. The image is interpreted as an attempt to mock his recent controversial remarks.

An AI-generated photo of the Italian Foreign Minister spreading on social media. SNS

According to Euronews and other sources on September 30 (local time), a doctored photo of Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, 73, wearing a skirt has been circulating on Italian-language social networking services (SNS).

The controversy began when Minister Tajani made a comment referencing "women in skirts" during a recent public event. On September 18, at an event near Rome, while explaining to voters why they should choose established conservative parties over newly formed far-right parties, he made the contentious remarks.

At the time, Minister Tajani compared voters' choice of political parties to choosing whom to marry, saying, "It might be like comparing a serious woman who wears a slightly longer skirt to a flashy woman." He added, "I always recommend choosing the trustworthy option, and the center-right is reliable."

Although the intent seemed to be that it is better to marry a trustworthy woman, Tajani faced ridicule and criticism for making an analogy involving skirt length, which critics argued was completely irrelevant. Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi of the Italian Bishops' Conference pointed out, "All words and glances toward women must be filled with respect and honor." Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed concern, saying, "The comments came out poorly," as the controversy grew.

Facing ongoing criticism, Minister Tajani eventually apologized, saying, "I had absolutely no intention of offending women."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.