Door to door on abortion: Vespa invites only men

The still image has gone viral on social media: it shows the Rai studio in Porta a Porta last night. We discuss abortion, together with Bruno Vespa there are five guests in the studio and one connected remotely. All men.

In the following hours, the controversy immediately spread to political buildings. The first to comment was the Democratic senator Annamaria Furlan: “The Italy of the Meloni government is taking shape: a country in which there is only room for one woman, the Prime Minister. Men are preferred to all others.” The deputy relaunches, again from the Democratic Party Ilenia Malavasi, member of the Social Affairs commission: “Seven dapper men talking about abortion and clinics: last night on Porta a Porta, on the main public TV channel, the precise representation of the government’s ideology (and not only) was broadcast: no women involved in issues concerning female reproductive health and freedom of choice. At a certain point they put one on video, a midwife, shot from behind. And that’s it.”

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According to the Avs group leader in the Senate, Peppe De Cristofaromember of the Rai Supervision, it is “a very serious matter, a violation of the company’s code of ethics, on which – he anticipates – we will present a question to the Rai Supervision commission and on which I will ask President Floridia to summon the CEO Sergio and the general director Rossi”.

In the afternoon the news that the president Marinella Soldi he wrote to Vespa. The president, according to what we learn from sources in Viale Mazzini, recalled the fundamental role of the public service in particular on such a sensitive issue and which she directly calls women’s bodies into question.

The presenter’s reply is ready: “He who, as director of Tg1, entrusted the hosting of the 1.30pm program to three women cannot be insensitive to the presence of women”. Thus Vespa in its response to the Rai president. “Beyond the specific circumstance which I believe I have amply clarified, I recalled that the reputation of Porta a Porta comes from hosting very representative politicians. Well there are only 5 women (Pd and M5S) out of 18 presidents, vice-presidents and presidents of the parliamentary groups of the top 5 parties. In any case, we will do everything we can to guarantee women the role they deserve.”