His comments have led to a backlash from several politicians including from opposition politician and Democratic Party senator Cecilia D’Elia.

She said that boys ‘should be educated to show respect, rather than girls taught to be careful… Teach them (men) the value of consent, rather than girls to be wary.

Italian politician and granddaughter of Benito Mussolini, Alessandra Mussolini, said: ‘There is nothing that can justify a man turning to violence.

‘Rape is rape and if that is not understood then for us women, it’s all over.

‘We should no longer be hearing these things in 2023.’

Mr Meloni hit back at criticism that he was victim-blaming.

He said he did not justify the act of rape, that he called it ‘deplorable’ and had described rapists as ‘beasts’.

Meloni told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that he ‘never said that it is legitimate for men to rape women who are drunk’.

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