Anti-gay general could stand for League in EP poll - Sgarbi

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 22 - Culture Undersecretary, art critic and libertarian polemicist Vittorio Sgarbi said Tuesday that an Italian general who has been sacked after self-publishing a book attacking gays and become a hero to many on the right will probably stand in next year's European elections for the rightwing League party, whose leader and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini has already praised him and defended his rights to free expression.
    "The League is a buffer party which is not extreme right and Salvini has said that he recognises himself in the values of the book written by (Roberto) Vannacci," Sgarbi told Affaritaliani.it.
    "The way to reiterate that could be to put him up for the European elections".
    Sgarbi added that Defence Minisyer Guido Crosetto, who intitiated the disciplinary proceedings against Vannacci, was "isolated" with many members of his rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party having strongly backed the general.
    FdI leader and Premier Giorgia Meloni has not commented on the case. (ANSA).