All Quotes

"I don't really know what the switch is. Any time I'm in a studio, step on stage, or get onto a music video set, there's a five-second reset where I black out and turn into this confident, fearless person."

"It is the sword that foils all enemies. The sword upsets foes. Like a falcon, it rips apart ranks of troops. Whatever I say of the sword, in sum: it is the Sultan of weapons. Whatever is said about other weapons (like the spear) is vain boasting. For the roses of the sword are the shield of Heaven's Garden. The sword's hyacinths descend from Paradise's lilies."

"Death is a black camel, which kneels at the gates of all."

"Arise, O Soul, and gird thee up anew, Though the black camel Death kneel at thy gate; No beggar thou that thou for alms shouldst sue; Be the proud captain still of thine own fate!"

"(About homoparentality) The natural family is under attack. They want to dominate us and wipe out our people."

"On the one hand, the weakening of the family and the push for same-sex marriage and gender theory in schools; on the other, the mass immigration we are enduring and the simultaneous emigration of our young people abroad. These are all interconnected and interdependent issues, because these factors aim to eradicate our community and our traditions. The risk is the eradication of our people."

"Salvini’s approach [to politics] is winning. Today, the revolution of common sense has begun."

"It is not a question of being friends with Trump or Putin, but the most desiderable option is that it will be a dialogue between them."

"If we are partners and allies in Europe, we must be so on equal terms. For too long we have endured subjugation to Germany and France within the European institutions."

"For my part, I have been favourably impressed by many of Putin’s statements and by the great Christian religious revival taking place in the country, undoubtedly the result of a reaction to seventy years of Soviet rule. I have seen in this a ray of hope for us Westerners too, who are experiencing a major crisis of values, immersed as we are in a society culturally dominated by ethical relativism, which can be ruthless, as the news of recent days shows."

"I wish to speak out in support of strengthening family planning institutes in an effort to dissuade women from having an abortion. I am Catholic; I make no secret of it."

"We have stated things we thought were normal, almost taken for granted: that for a country to grow, it needs people to have children; that a mother is called a mother (and not "parent 1"); that a father is called a father (and not "parent 2")."

"(About Roberto Maroni) His human warmth, his profound ability to analyse economic and social phenomena, together with his constant pursuit of dialogue and debate, were unanimously appreciated and recognised by both friends and political opponents."

"(About the 2022 Ischia landslide) This latest disaster demonstrates that the formulation and implementation of forward-looking policies to adapt to climate change—the effects of which are now plain for all to see—can no longer be postponed."

"Mr President, I would like to thank you for acknowledging that climate change is happening. I am very pleased to hear this, because there are some members of this majority who have in the past claimed that climate change does not exist. Recognising this means taking concrete action, in our own small way and within our country, to save many lives in the future."

"Princeps Horatius ibat trigemina spolia prae se gerens; cui soror virgo, quae desponsa uni ex Curiatiis fuerat, obvia ante portam Capenam fuit; cognitoque super umeros fratris paludamento sponsi, quod ipsa confecerat, solvit crines et flebiliter nomine sponsum mortuum appellat. Movet feroci iuveni animum conploratio sororis in victoria sua tantoque gaudio publico. Stricto itaque gladio simul verbis increpans transfigit puellam. "Abi hinc cum immaturo amore ad sponsum" inquit, "oblita fratrum mortuorum vivique, oblita patriae. Sic eat quaecumque Romana lugebit hostem.""

"Sarò forse anche infantile, un po' fanciullesco, ma l’idea di vedere sfilare questo potente mezzo [il furgone cellulare in dotazione alla polizia penitenziaria] che dà il prestigio, con il Gruppo Operativo Mobile sopra, far sapere ai cittadini chi sta dietro a quel vetro oscurato, come noi sappiamo trattare chi sta dietro a quel vetro oscurato, come noi incalziamo chi sta dietro quel vetro oscurato, come noi non lasciamo respirare chi sta dietro quel vetro oscurato, credo sia una gioia... è sicuramente per il sottoscritto una intima gioia."

"I find it appalling that he should express delight at preventing those behind the windscreen of a prison van from breathing. These words are a clear reference to violence and torture against prisoners. Those in senior government positions cannot allow themselves to utter such remarks, which are so devoid of humanity."

"[...] The fact that President Giorgia Meloni is going to COP 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh and meeting with Egyptian President al-Sisi – to whom she utters not a single word regarding the tragedy of human rights violations, what happened to Zaki, or the death of Giulio Regeni – and is meeting al-Sisi to discuss oil and oil fields, shows exactly which side you are on in this country today."

"On the issue of energy strategy: I heard a representative of the Lega candidly argue that we must build more gas pipelines and we must build nuclear power stations. Well, let Italians know that this strategy is the strategy that will further reach into the pockets of Italians."

"Extra profits are Italians’ money and it is to them that they must be returned immediately. The profits belong to Italy, the profits do not belong to ENI."

"It is incomprehensible, unacceptable and, if I may say so, even indecent that, in the face of rising social poverty in the country, there should be a sort of indifference to the accumulation of wealth that the major energy companies have amassed in our country through windfall profits."

"(About the Meloni Government) So, dear social right – you who once called yourselves the social right and who today are the right of power – see how things change when you win the vote and enter government; you forget what you told the country [...]"

"[...] what struck me about Roberto Maroni was his friendliness, his ability to engage with those in front of him, with great simplicity and great humility, I must say, a trait that is very rare among those in important government roles."

"[Referring to Roberto Maroni] [...] for us, and I say this with the utmost sincerity, he was a tenacious and fair opponent."

"Let me be clear: Maroni is a decent person; we hold different views, and it is precisely for this reason that we accord him – and we salute him – the utmost respect."

"(Referring to Jair Bolsonaro) [...] he who is responsible for the devastation of the Amazon rainforest and the violation of human rights, and against whom the Brazilian Senate has filed a motion for impeachment for crimes against humanity."

"[...] we express our condolences for the victims of the tragic events in Ischia, but, you see, we are also very tired, tired of having to comment on these tragic events which are linked to a climate crisis that produces extreme weather events [...]"

"(To Gilberto Pichetto Fratin) You said that mayors should be arrested for what they do, a very strong statement: I would like to point out, however, that you are part of a party that has approved two building amnesties in this country."

"[...] the geological map of our country has not been drawn up; it does not exist, unlike in many European countries. Out of 636 sheets, 300 are missing because there is no money. Money is found for so many things, but there is no money to make our country safe; we would need geologists."

"[To Gilberto Pichetto Fratin] Do you know that the term building amnesty is untranslatable in Europe, because they simply don’t know what it means? You have normalised it, and today you did not have the courage to make a commitment in the Italian Parliament and say: no more building amnesties."

"I find it appalling that (Andrea Delmastro Delle Vedove) expresses joy at not letting those behind the glass of a prison police car breathe. These words are a clear reference to violence and torture against prisoners. Those in top government roles cannot allow themselves to utter such statements devoid of humanity."

"As a citizen, and as President of the Chamber of Deputies, I bow to the Constitution and pledge to strictly fulfil my institutional mandate. As a Catholic, I cannot but entrust my work in this Parliament – and, in prayer, the life of the nation – to the will of God, to whom the destinies of all nations and of history belong."

"[On constitutional reform] We will have to tackle specific constitutional changes together, and this is why our sense of responsibility towards all Italians must be all the greater, at a time when they have called upon us to write a new chapter in our history."

"(About the contradiction highlighted by Gianfranco Fini between being an institutional figure and a member of the Lega Nord) Being a member of the Lega is not unconstitutional or unlawful. I remain a Lega MP, even though I am not taking any action in this capacity, because I respect the rules. [...] In this Parliament there are committee chairmen who were officers of the Republic of Salò. And Mr Fini should know that very well."

"(About the possibility of criminal charges for the secessionist remarks made by Umberto Bossi) The opinions expressed by MPs in the Chamber are beyond reproach. A constitutional expert should weigh in on this, but as far as I am concerned, freedom of expression takes precedence over everything. In the Chamber, at least. Of course, it would be a different matter if Bossi, outside Montecitorio, were to tell his supporters, ‘Get ready, we’re going to secede’."

"(About the secession called for by Umberto Bossi) The only thing that is sacrosanct in the Constitution is the republican form of government, yet we have had a monarchist party for years. If the rules of democracy are respected, there are no problems."

"(About the Mantua parliament) There has been endless rambling and pointless squabbling about that, but no one has pointed out that in Italy there is no chamber called ‘Parliament’: there is a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate. The one in Mantua, I believe, has a different name."

"I’ve learnt not to yearn for things, but to make the best of what I have."

"I’m a person who moves on – not in terms of my feelings or values, but in terms of my professional experiences and life in general."

"Faith is part of my body, just like the nervous system, the bones or the blood: you know you have all these things, but you don’t always mention them."

"The rest of the cast, just to be fair, was made up as follows. The mother of a child who had received a miracle from Padre Pio. The friar who acts as spokesperson for the Padre Pio Foundation. The Catholic scholar Vittorio Messori, who recounted having received a miracle from Padre Pio: a letter had been delivered to his home just one hour after being posted by Padre Pio. Luciano Rispoli, who was married by Padre Pio. And above all the devout Irene Pivetti, who never met Padre Pio but is living proof of the existence of miracles: no one can rationally explain how she managed to become Speaker of the House."

"Irene Pivetti. She had received so much from the League and threw it all away."

"She's no turncoat, but what happened to her is monstrous. Today's Pivetti, all leather and studs, bald and with her breasts exposed, looks like the daughter of that woman in the Chamber of Deputies with her scarf and little suit."

"I am firmly convinced that the conduct of the Irish in America has been strongly influential in winning for those at home that moral support which comes from the sympathy of strangers to the blood, and which is in itself almost as valuable as the material assistance which has been so lavishly bestowed."

"Ang manunulat ay pinakamabisa sa kanyang pag-iisa."

"The memory of all, even of the humblest whose record occupies no greater space in the world's history than the breadth of a small granite slab, wide enough to hold above the waving grass in any of the great cities of the dead the touching word, each letter of which suggests a tear— "Unknown," deserves to be held by their surviving comrades, by their fellow countrymen of to-day, and by endless generations yet to come, in tender, affectionate, everlasting remembrance."

"The very oppressions which the Irish suffer at home, teach them to prize the freedom of America more ardently than is always done by her native sons, who have the exalted privilege of knowing nothing of despotism, but what they learn from the description of other nation."

"His bright spirits and kindly genial ways, the outward expression of a soul which combined with its deep sense of religion a noble and generous disposition, won not only from his personal friends, but from all with whom he came in contact, an admiration and kindly feeling such as only a few have the power to excite."

"The hunter catches a dreadful prey, the seaman steers his ship into an unspeakable harbor, the plowman sows and reaps a fearful harvest, the investigator finds the criminal and the judge convicts him—they are all the same man—the revealer turns into the thing revealed, the finder into the thing found, the calculator finds he is himself the solution of the equation and the physician discovers that he is the disease. The catastrophe of the tragic hero thus becomes the catastrophe of fifth-century man; all his furious energy and intellectual daring drive him on to this terrible discovery of his fundamental ignorance—he is not the measure of all things but the thing measured and found wanting."