A reporter was fined £4,200 for making fun of the prime minister's height.

Ms Cortese has been ordered by a judge in Milan to pay a sum of £4,200 to prime minister Giorgia Meloni as damages for mocking her height on social media. The ruling came after Ms Meloni, who was then in opposition, took legal action against journalist Giulia Cortese for posting digitally altered pictures and making derogatory comments about her height. The judge also imposed a suspended fine of £1,000 on Ms Cortese, stating that her actions amounted to "body shaming."

The incident took place in October 2021 when Ms Cortese shared a picture on social media that showed Ms Meloni standing in front of a bookshelf with an image of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini in the background. Reacting to this, Ms Meloni expressed her disapproval on Facebook and announced her decision to take legal action. In response, Ms Cortese referred to Ms Meloni as a "little woman" in a separate post, adding, "You don't scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, you're only 1.2 meters tall. I can't even see you."

According to Italian media, Ms Meloni's height is between 5ft 2ins and 5ft 4ins, although she has never officially disclosed it. Ms Cortese, however, made fun of her height without any substantiated evidence. The judge's verdict has sparked a debate on freedom of expression and journalistic dissent in Italy. Ms Cortese, in her defense, stated that the Italian government has a "serious problem" with these issues and may consider appealing against the verdict.

This is not the first time that Ms Meloni has resorted to legal action against those who have publicly criticized her. Her far-right government has been accused by the centre-left opposition of using such tactics to silence journalists and critics. Ms Meloni's lawyer has also stated that if the sentence against Ms Cortese is confirmed and the payment is made, they will donate the money to charity.

In conclusion, the ruling against Ms Cortese serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting others and avoiding derogatory comments, especially on sensitive issues like physical appearance. It also highlights the need for a healthy and open dialogue in a democratic society instead of resorting to legal action to silence dissenting voices.

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