In the second bout of controversy surrounding the Italian National Anthem in a week, Luca Zaia, the Northern League Governor of Veneto, has caused offence by apparently requesting that Verdi’s Va, Pensiero or “Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” [from “Nabucco”] be played in its place when he opened a school on Sunday.

In the following video:
Va Pensiero

“Va, Pensiero” has become the Northern League’s “anthem” for the area of Northern Italy that it calls “Padania”. Mr Zaia, however, denies the allegation that “Va, Pensiero” was played instead of the National Anthem, saying that the Inno di Mameli was played later, in another part of the piazza in which the ceremony took place.

In the following video:
Inno di Mameli

Among politicians scandalised by the alleged omission of the National Anthem at the ceremony is Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa, who says he will present a bill which will make its playing obligatory in certain circumstances.

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