First wives urged to boycott Italian G8 summit

Italian academics organise protest against their 'sexist' PM, Silvio Berlusconi

LAST UPDATED 10:27 AM, JUNE 23, 2009

Sarah Brown and Michelle Obama have been put on the spot by a trio of Italian academics who are urging the wives of world leaders to boycott next month's G8 summit in Italy, in protest at Silvio Berlusconi's "sexist" and "offensive" attitude to women. The three female academics have written an 'Appeal to the First Ladies' and claim to have gathered hundreds of signatures in support.

"We are profoundly indignant, as women employed in the world of universities and culture, at the way in which the Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi treats women both in public and in private," their letter reads.

They are complaining about his sexist speeches, his crude behaviour - which "gravely undermines the dignity of women on a moral, civil and cultural level" - and his attempt to get actresses and TV showgirls elected as Euro MPs.

The letter was signed by Chiara Volpato, lecturer in social psychology at Bicocca University, Milan; Angelica Mucchi Faina, lecturer in social psychology at Perugia Unversity; and Anne Maass, associate professor of social psychology at Padua University.

The women they are targeting are the British prime minister's wife Sarah Brown, the US First Lady Michelle Obama, French president Nicolas Sarkozy's wife Carla Bruni, as well as Chikako Aso of Japan, Svetlana Medvedeva of Russia and Laureen Harper of Canada. There is no word yet on whether any of them will meet - or find an excuse to meet - the Italian academics' request.

Berlusconi's own wife, Veronica Lario, has already absented herself from the summit, which is to be held in the Umbrian town of L'Aquila, devastated in April's earthquake. Lario is seeking a divorce from Berlusconi since learning of his friendship with an 18-year-old aspiring model, Noemi Letizia.

Meanwhile, prosecutors in the southern city of Bari are investigating allegations of "inducement to prostitution" by a local businessman after a TV showgirl, Patrizia D'Addario, claimed to have been paid €1,000 to attend a party at Berlusconi's official residence in Rome.