Giorgia Meloni and her daughter receive online death threats over government policy

New Delhi

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her six-year-old daughter received online death threats from a man who was not happy with the government’s decision to stop an anti-poverty subsidy for unemployed citizens, authorities said on Wednesday. According to Reuters, the man was a 27-year-old from Sicily, and he is currently under investigation by the police for “threatening behaviour”.

The police sources said that the social media accounts belonging to the man were suspended for the time being and the authorities also conducted a thorough search of his house.

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Meloni, who became the first female Prime Minister of Italy after winning the elections in October, has decided to cut down on the "citizens' income" scheme in 2023. The government has also said that the plan is to scrap the scheme completely by 2024 as it is not happy with its implementation.

However, Meloni previously said that the government is looking to introduce a similar welfare scheme which will allow unemployed people to receive aid and training to find new jobs.

The new scheme, which was a part of the 2023 budget, suggested that citizens' income payments will be withdrawn after eight months unless households have children, elders or disabled persons.

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Meloni’s political party – Brothers of Italy – showed their support for the PM.

“Unworthy threats appeared on social media against Giorgia Meloni and her daughter. Come on President, we are by your side,” the party posed on their official Twitter handle.

“If anyone thinks of influencing the action of this government with violence, they are very mistaken. I hope a transversal condemnation of what happened,” deputy prime minister and foreign minister Antonio Tajani said.