Italian women councilors protest for equality by hanging their clothes

Three female councilors of Italy's second largest party 5-Star Movement (M5S) protested Tuesday by hanging their clothes during a debate on gender equality at the Regional Council of Lombardy in Milan.

According to local media, the three M5S representatives hang their clothes in the hall of the assembly.

They were protesting against the remarks made by the leader of Italy's right-wing party Northern League, Massimiliano Romeo, during a discussion on the approval of new rules on gender equality in the boards of companies from Lombardy, one of the 20 regions and the richest region in Italy.

"Salary disparity between men and women does not depend on law, but from the fact that when companies require overtime, men answer 'yes', while many women say no because they prefer to stay at home and look after children," Romeo told the local assembly and media.

The comments sparked protest by the opposition representatives and the session was suspended.

After that the three female M5S regional councilors hang briefly their clothes on a line in the assembly.

"We, the women, we have to stay at home and look after children," they said ironically to their Northern League colleagues.

Finally president of the Regional Council of Lombardy Raffaele Cattaneo had to ask the removal of the clothes. Endit