Miniskirts, memes (and reactions): The Italian Minister's controversial statement

O minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister of Italy, Antonio Tajani, made a few days ago comments considered sexist on the use of “ministry”. The netizens did not forgive and flood the social networks with images generated by artificial intelligence where the ruler arises from skirts and dresses. 

It must, however, go back in time to understand the case. On September 18, Tajani answered a question as to why voters should choose an established party, as is the case of Forza Italia (to which it belongs), rather than a more recent one as the far-right Nazionale future party.

The Italian Deputy Prime Minister compared the choice of a party by the elector to the advice he could give to his son about which woman to marry, saying that it was advisable to marry serious women who use “long skirts, perhaps less flashy, but more reliable, more serious, good mothers, faithful to the love they seal in marriage”.

“ Even if polls say they prefer the most showy girl, or the serious girl who might have the skirt longer than the other, or who might be a muscled playboy instead of the one wearing a tie in the office. I recommend always choosing what is reliable and the center-right is reliable”, he said, quoted by Euronews.

Tajani: Meglio sposare donna con gonne più lunghe, meno appariscente ma più affidabile pic.twitter. with/3d5sQs574u

— Agenzia VISTA (@AgenziaVISTA) September 19, 2026

Antonio Tajani's speech went viral and the reactions also soon. And if, on the one hand, there were people who agreed, there were also those who didn't want to be silent... and social networks flooded with images generated by artificial intelligence of the politician using miniskirts. 

From anonymous to Italian politicians, everyone has had a say about this controversy.

For example, Matteo Renzi, former Prime Minister of Italy and leader of the Italia Viva party, turned to social network X to say that Tajani was “more meme than minister”. 

“ It is devastating to think that, at the most difficult moment in international policy, I have an incompetent, backward and banal foreign minister. Tajani is now more meme than minister”, it can be read in the publication that is accompanied by two images of Antonio Tajani – the first one is wearing miniskirt and the second one with a more conservative look.

Already several opposition senators spoke out against Tajani's statements and shared photographs using miniskirts.

“ This is a gesture of freedom to say that we are free to dress as we want”, said Raffaela Paita, also a member of the Italia Viva party, quoted by the Italian newspaper “Ansa”.

In turn, Simona Malpezzi of the Democratic Party pointed out that Tajani’s words “are a demonstration of the intrinsic and unconscious patriarchy, so much so that the minister later justified himself and apologized. But justification is even worse.”. 

The reactions, however, did not stop here. The Catholic Church also decided to comment, through the Secretary-General of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Giuseppe Baturi, noting that women must be treated with respect. 

“ Every word, every look at women must be filled with respect and admiration,” Giuseppe Baturi said at a press conference.

And what did Giorgia Meloni say?

Asked about the Minister’s statements, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni considered that the “phrase went wrong”, adding that there should be no “exaggeration” to the controversy. “I think it was a misstatement. I wouldn’t exaggerate that,” he said.

The apology

In the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Italian Foreign Minister apologized for his words.

“ I apologize if anyone was offended by what I said, but I never intended to offend women. I have never done this in my life, neither in my private or public life”, he noted, quoted by “Ansa”.