July 14, 2013
Jokes about the Pope and the death penalty: the parable of an outspoken League
Minister Cecile Kyenge, makes him think “of an orangutan” this is just the latest in multiple invectives launched by Roberto Calderoni. Provocations decidedly uncomfortable to almost all of its stakeholders with only two exceptions: Umberto Bossi and Silvio Berlusconi.
Calderoni had never been outspoken in his invectives, and never sparked controversy raging not only from the center but also in the CDL. This all changed with his provocation on TV, in February 2006 in which he wore T-shirts printed with the Danish Mohammed cartoonist blacklisted by Islam. This made him have to resign from Minister Berlusconi’s government after the harsh reaction from the Libyan government.
The Anti-Islam T-shirt
February 15, 2006 Calderoli was seen on TV wearing a T-shirt under his shirt, on which is printed a cartoon that mocks Muhammad. In the days following were successive violent reactions in Muslim countries, including the assault on the Italian consulate in Benghazi and the Church in the same city. Calderoni was forced to resign.
Pig Day
In 2007 Calderoli unleashed a political storm and outrage of the Muslim community with his shocking proposal to hold a “pig-day” (whose meat is forbidden food in the Quran) against the construction of new mosques in Italy.
Calderoni has continued his invectives against the pope, Iraq and the death penalty.
