ROME – A female senator who endorsed a post calling for migrants to be put in ovens has been appointed head of the parliamentary human rights commission by the Lega-M5S position, sources say.

 In 2017, while a regional councillor in Liguria, Stefania Pucciarelli liked a Facebook comment which said, “homes to Italians first, I’d given ovens to the rest.” She was forced to apologise profusely, saying, “I distance myself from such statements. The ovens are a sad memory of the past that no-one, let alone me, intends to restore.”

 Despite her backtracking, League senator Pucciarelli still faces serious criticism from opposition in government, not least for her pro-eviction stance on migrant camps throughout Italy. A week ago, she posted a photo of a bulldozer destroying a migrant camp with the caption “Another step forward to restoring legality.”

 Former President of the House Laura Boldrini called the appointment “unsuitable”, some Democratic senators branded it a “serious mistake” and the President of ‘Equality Italia’ saw it as a provocation.

 Pucciarelli has already outlined her priorities for the role, saying, “we will deal with the Asia Bibi case”, a Christian Pakistani acquitted of blasphemy after previously being sentenced to death. “No more persecution for Christians,” she continued. “We will put a spotlight on their genocide.”

pm