The Sanremo Song Festival, Italy's premier TV extravaganza of the year, ended on a high note early Sunday morning despite political rows which prompted members of Premier Giorgia Meloni's rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party to call for the decapitation or privatization of State broadcaster Rai because of a perceived leftwing bias.
The festival, a national institution that inspired the Eurovision song contest and helped launch the careers of many of Italy's top music stars, such as Eros Ramazzotti, Laura Pausini and Maneskin, ended up with a record audience figure of over 12 million viwers and some 66% of the share tuning in to see favourite Marco Mengoni claim his second crown, earning the right to represent Italy at Eurovision, ahead of young rappers Lazza and Mr Rain.
But the mood was slightly soured by FdI attacks on Rai after a string of 'political' incidents and statements construed as beeing anti-government, including Life Is Beautiful star Roberto Benigni hymning the postwar anti-fascist Constitution, volleyball star Paolo Egonu calling Italy racist, rapper Fedez ripping up a 2005 photo of an FdI member dressed as Hitler, and Fedez going on to call for the legalization of cannabis and share a full-on kiss with gender fluid rapper Rosa Chemical, who also ground her backside into his lap in a simulated act of sex.
League leader Matteo Salvini also fulminated against a message to the festival by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, although Meloni said she would have preferred an original plan to have the Ukrainian leader appear in a video.
Hist Amadeus was delighted with the viewing figures but also said "if they send me away then I'll go".
Rai officials refuted the FdI MPs' accusations and said the festival had always featured political moments which were not be taken too seriously.
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