A brawl erupted in Italy’s parliament on Wednesday, with one lawmaker leaving the chamber in a wheelchair.

The scuffle kicked off during a vote in the Chamber of Deputies, Italy’s lower house of parliament, on the government’s controversial bill paving way to give Italy’s regions greater autonomy.

As seen in a video of the incident, Leonardo Donno, a member of parliament from the opposition 5 Star Movement party, who opposes the reform, walked up to Minister for Regional Affairs and Autonomies Roberto Calderoli and thrust an Italian flag in his face.

Two clerks rushed and grabbed Donno to separate him from Calderoli as dozens of lawmakers from the League and Brothers of Italy parties, part of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s ruling coalition, joined the fray. Donno eventually fell and was transported out of the chamber in a wheelchair by parliamentary medical staff.

“Among the various kicks, I also received a very strong punch to the sternum and I collapsed because I couldn’t breathe,” Donno recounted to local media, adding that he would consider “taking action” against the League and Brothers of Italy MPs who he alleged assaulted him.

Igor Iezzi, an MP from the League party, told local media he swung at Donno but denied making contact.

The bill in question has not yet passed, with debate scheduled to continue in the chamber Thursday.

Politico

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