Overview

• Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni appeared by video on Rai1’s Domenica In to back the UNESCO bid for Italian cuisine, speaking briefly about tradition and family Sunday lunches.
• Rai said the segment was part of “Il pranzo della domenica – italiani a tavola,” promoted with several ministries and 10 lead cities of varied political control, calling it authentic public service.
• The Democratic Party, M5S and the Usigrai union criticized the appearance as an electoral advertisement on state TV, and +Europa’s Riccardo Magi requested AGCOM intervention.
• Critics also cited the year‑long paralysis of parliament’s Commissione di vigilanza over Rai, arguing the oversight gap enabled the on‑air visibility without timely scrutiny.
• Meloni dismissed the backlash as “an ennesima polemica sul nulla,” noting Rome’s PD mayor Roberto Gualtieri also appeared from a table set by the Temple of Venus facing the Colosseum; Auditel data reported about 1.91 million viewers and a 16% share during the hookup.