February 9, 2026, 11:30 a.mFebruary 9, 2026, 11:30 a.m
Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has accused the center-left opposition of trying to silence critics in culture and entertainment. The occasion is the withdrawal of a comedian with right-wing sympathies from the Sanremo music festival.
Comedian Andrea Pucci received threats and insults.Image: www.imago-images.de
Comedian Andrea Pucci was scheduled to perform at this year’s Sanremo festival, which begins on February 24th. The Schlager Festival is one of the most important annual TV events in the country. However, on Sunday Pucci canceled his participation after state broadcaster RAI announced him as co-host one evening. There was a wave of insults and threats against his family.
Meloni stood behind the comedian. It is “frightening that in 2026 an artist will be forced to give up his work because of a climate of intimidation and hatred,” she wrote on Platform X. The “illiberal drift of the left in Italy” is becoming increasingly frightening.
In 2026, an artist sent a message to the artist in order to create a comfortable environment and the atmosphere that he created.
Esprimo solidarity with Andrea Pucci, who decided to return to Sanremo due to the offense and the…
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) February 8, 2026
The 60-year-old Pucci is known for politically incorrect jokes. After his planned appearance became known, the social democratic Democratic Party described him as “clearly right-wing, fascist and homophobic”. The consumer protection organization Codacons also criticized Pucci’s invitation to the Sanremo music festival.
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The dispute fits into a broader debate about culture and media in Italy. The opposition accuses the right-wing coalition, which has been in power since 2022, of systematically exerting ideological influence on media and cultural companies. Government representatives reject this: On the contrary, the political left claims sole claim to the cultural sector.
At the center of the opposition’s criticism is the RAI, which opponents derisively call “TeleMeloni” because of its proximity to the government. Since taking office in October 2022, Meloni has filled more and more top positions in the RAI with representatives. (sda/apa)