Giorgia Meloni told Italian mothers to go back to the office, saying if she could run the country with her 7-year-old daughter, so could they.

• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urges mothers to balance motherhood and work

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called on Italy’s mothers to return to public life, saying if she can run the country with her seven-year-old daughter, so can they.

The animated Meloni has recovered from an illness bout with ear infections that caused dizziness and encouraged mothers to balance motherhood with work.

Meloni, a member of the Italian Brotherhood party, has made it a priority to reverse declining birth rates and promote traditional families, and has encouraged world leaders, including himself and Ursula von der Leyen, to reverse the decline in birth rates and promote traditional families. If they can have a career and have children, Italian mothers said they can too.

Asked about her party’s promotion of motherhood and the traditional family, Meloni told a three-hour press conference: “If I were asked to choose between the role of prime minister and my daughter Ginebra, I would choose between other mothers.” Similarly, I have no doubts.” Because motherhood gives you something that nothing else can give you. ”

But Meloni, who separated last year after her partner was recorded inviting a co-worker to have a threesome, said that being a mother discouraged women from continuing to work or pursuing a career in politics. He said he doesn’t think it can or should be stopped.

She said: “European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has seven children.” She is President of the European Parliament, Roberta Mezzola, who has four children. You can do it. ”

Meloni, who was forced to postpone a press conference in December due to ear infections that cause dizziness, has had to deal with personal and political pressures in recent months.

In October, Meloni, 46, separated from Andrea Giambruno, the father of her 7-year-old daughter Ginebra, after he was caught on tape boasting about an affair and asking for a threesome.

And last month, she was spotted at COP28 carrying a phone case with phrases like “I’m back” and “I give myself permission to take a break.”

In recent days, Meloni has come under fire after one of his party’s politicians, Emanuele Pozzolo, 38, took a loaded gun to a New Year’s Eve party, where someone was shot in the leg with a pistol. and have been dealing with the aftermath.

Pozzollo admitted to owning the mini-revolver but denied firing it. A guest was shot in the thigh during the incident, but was not seriously injured. The incident drew criticism from opposition politicians and made headlines around the world.

When asked about the incident, Meloni could not hide his displeasure about what happened.

He said Pozzollo had been suspended pending the party committee’s decision on the incident.

This situation is unacceptable to Italians, said a disgruntled Meloni, “not only for members of parliament, but even less for members of our Italian brotherhood.”

“If the people around me don’t understand this responsibility, I’m not ready to live this life with this responsibility on my shoulders.”

“As you can see, I’m going to be strict about this,” she added.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident, looking into possible crimes such as involuntary or negligent injury and failure to secure a weapon.

They also seized a gun, a North American Arms .22 handgun and ammunition, they said in a statement.

The victim is reported to be the son-in-law of incoming Justice Minister Andrea del Mastro’s bodyguard, and the newspaper said he also attended the party in Rosazza, near Turin.

Pozzolo, 38, said in a statement earlier this week that “the shot was fired accidentally from a handgun that I legally owned, but I was not the one who fired the shot.”

Firearm ownership is strictly regulated in Italy, but Meloni’s party last month proposed lowering the minimum age for obtaining a license for a hunting rifle to 16.

Opposition politicians expressed surprise at the incident and called on Mr Meloni to take action.

Meanwhile, at a press conference, Meloni said supporting African development and tackling challenges with artificial intelligence (AI) will be Italy’s two main themes during its one-year G7 presidency.

Meloni also said Italy would maintain its support for Ukraine in its war against Russia and warned that further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East could have “unimaginable consequences.”

“I’m very concerned about the impact[AI]will have on the labor market,” she said. “Today we are facing a revolution in which (human) intelligence is in danger of being replaced.”

He told reporters that aiding Africa’s development will also be a central theme at the G7 meeting, saying it is important to boost local economies and living standards to deter would-be migrants from heading to Europe.

“What I think needs to be done in Africa is not philanthropy. What needs to be done in Africa is cooperation and building serious strategic relationships, where we are equals, not predators. The point is to protect the right not to immigrate…and this is done through investment and strategy.”

Other issues likely to determine the Italian presidency include the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Meloni spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy late Thursday in his first call with an international leader as G7 president, his office said.

Regarding the Gaza conflict, Meloni called on Israel to avoid civilian casualties and said a more permanent solution to the Palestinian issue needed to be found.

“I believe… ‘First let’s destroy Hamas and then we’ll talk about it’ is a mistake,” Meloni said.

He added that “one of the best ways to call out the bluff of Hamas, which has no interest in the Palestinian cause, is to work towards a structural solution to the Palestinian issue.” He said he should play a more prominent role. attempt.

Meloni, who took power as Italy’s first female prime minister in October 2022, said she believed Western countries should continue providing arms and material aid to Kiev.

“The only way to reach any kind of diplomatic solution in Ukraine is to maintain a balance between the forces on the ground in any kind of negotiations.”