“They always tell me to ignore, not respond. And they’re right. But sometimes I start reading, and I get really scared.” Francesca Verdini decided to let off steam. He did this through a series of stories on social media summarizing the many insults he receives every day, most of which cannot be reported. Matteo Salvini’s partner, the daughter of former senator Denis Verdini, founder of “Casa Rossa”, an independent film and audiovisual production company, has no political office but has been the target of sexist hatred and violent attacks because of her relationship with the League leader, which began in 2019.
Furthermore, it must be emphasized that Francesca Verdini was always quietly present. He appeared at several public events with Salvini but without further media exposure, there were never any political statements or stances on his part. Several posts about his colleague were of support and affection at certain times, especially at some of the most difficult moments for Salvini such as the open arms trial in Palermo. On that occasion Francesca was also in the courtroom next to the League leader. At the time of the acquittal, he was sobbing, visibly distressed, but without any comment into the microphone.
In the screenshots he posted yesterday on social media, we can read vulgar insults towards him and Salvini, defined as “what a shitty comrade you have”. And again: “That’s your daughter, right? I can’t think of anything else”, commenting on a photo of the couple together. “How low self-confidence this girl has in her big belly.” Another commented on a photo of the two on the beach: “But is this related to Salvini? not okay, I feel like throwing up.” Other words of a sexual nature that cannot be reported will follow. Then: “Yes, yes, wait until the guards are taken away”, referring to the Minister of Infrastructure. “I am always surprised – reflects Verdini – At the anger, at the vulgarity, at the nothingness behind so much hatred. And I ask: do I really have to get used to it?”. He then expressed thanks for the solidarity and “tremendous compassion” he received in the wake of the blast, a sign that “the number of people who recognize the existence of this problem, who understand the horror of certain attitudes, is much higher than I could have imagined”. Among the “likes” of the post was also Forza Italia representative and Silvio Berlusconi’s last partner, Marta Fascina. Shortly afterwards Verdini apologized “if I gave the impression of being upset or hurt, it was not my intention to worry anyone and I apologize if I made the people who love me feel bad”, ensuring that he was “sincerely calm. Sometimes it can happen – he explained – to let yourself get caught in the wrong thing.
But my intention was, more than anything, to share a reflection, to ask whether there is something we can do, concretely, to fight this violence, or whether we really should just stand by and watch.” But he underlined that he had come to a “truly heartening” realization of the fact that “there are many more kind, kind and generous people than those who live in hatred.”
