Sexual assault in Senate: woman accuses Senator Silvestro (FI)
A 52-year-old has accused Forza Italia Senator Francesco Silvestro of forcing her to perform a sexual act in his office in February 2025. Silvestro denies the allegations and calls them "absurd".
Senator Silvestro accused of sexual assault: complaint from wine merchant
A 52-year-old woman, a commercial agent in the wine sector, has filed a complaint against Forza Italia Senator Francesco Silvestro, accusing him of forcing her to perform a sexual act in his office in February 2025. República broke the story, reconstructing what the alleged victim told prosecutors and law enforcement.
According to Il Fatto Quotidiano - Cronaca, which reports the account, the meeting had taken place to discuss a supply of wine bottles. During the conversation, Silvestro allegedly made sexually suggestive remarks to the woman — including "Wine excites me, I lose my inhibitions" — before forcing her to perform a sexual act "without any consent, either express or implied", according to the complainant's version.
The senator, contacted by Repubblica and not yet questioned by investigators, confirmed that the meeting took place but forcefully rejected every allegation, calling it "absurd". Silvestro suggested the woman was lying in order to blackmail him: "Modestly I am a good-looking man, the lady is an ordinary woman… anyone can say whatever they want, but then things have to be proven. Maybe she wants to extort something from me," he said. He then added: "Let her file a complaint, then we'll have fun."
Democratic Party senators issued a joint statement, calling for the Senate as an institution not to remain silent. "The revelations published by Repubblica, if confirmed, would be of unheard-of gravity: a senator of the Republic accused of sexual assault against a woman, his guest, inside Senate offices," the Democratic parliamentarians wrote, reiterating that "the presumption of innocence applies to everyone" and that it will be for the judiciary to establish the facts.
Democratic Party Vice-President of the Senate Anna Rossomando described Silvestro's words as "unspeakable": "In 2026, 'I'm a good-looking man, she's an ordinary woman' represents the worst and most debased culture regarding male-female relationships," she accused. Senator Cecilia D'Elia, Vice-President of the Bicameral Commission on femicide, contended that the senator's remarks demonstrate "the necessity — even for adults, and apparently also for senators — of sexual and emotional education and respect for the other person".
Source: Il Fatto Quotidiano - Cronaca