Chaos erupts in Senate over suspending debate on bill

Lawmaker raises arm in Fascist salute to mock M5S

(ANSA) - Rome, April 10 - Chaos broke out in the Senate on Thursday after the deputy speaker suspended debate to force a vote on an anti-corruption bill, prompting one lawmaker to raise his hand in a Fascist salute. Members of the ant-establishment 5-Star Movement were incensed when Roberto Calderoli, along with members of the majority Democratic Party (PD) and the opposition Forza Italia (FI) party, agreed to "guillotine" debate on the bill, which had been bouncing back and forth between the House and Senate. The M5S, led by comic-turned-politician Beppe Grillo, was unhappy with the softened version of the bill, which makes it a crime for politicians or candidates to promise to buy or otherwise obtain Mafia-rigged votes.

"You don't deserve the title of honorable," yelled M5S Whip Vincenzo Maurizio Santangelo from the floor. "Go home!" Soon thereafter, a Senator from the right-wing GAL mixed group raised his hand in a Fascist salute toward the M5S and accused the anti-government movement of acting like Fascists for disrupting proceedings. In the succeeding shouting match, Deputy Speaker Linda Lanzillotta suspended the session. "This is against the values of the Constitution," she said.

The scene recalled the last time debate on a bill was suspended in parliament. During a House session in January, the M5S was furious when House Speaker Laura Boldrini interrupted a filibuster they were staging by using her so-called "guillotine" powers for the first time in history so that a decree could pass before a deadline timed it out.

In protest the following day, M5S MPs occupied the benches reserved for the government in the House and a brawl almost broke out as stewards tried to move them away and take away slogans written on banners in breach of the rules for the chamber. A female M5S MP complained she was slapped by a male lawmaker, who said he was trying to protect the Speaker.