Italian rapper Anastasio, who recently won the Italian version of X-Factor, has come under fire for ‘liking’ Italian populist Interior Minster Matteo Salvini and U.S. President Donald Trump on social media.

Already known for being slightly eccentric when he revealed that he had a tattoo of a portrait of Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona on his stomach, Anastasio reacted to the criticism saying that he was a “free thinker” and enjoyed to listen to different perspectives whether they came from the left or from the right, Repubblica reports.

“I have read what has been written, but it’s all a complete political chaos, it’s enough to talk about communism and fascism, now the right wing is left and vice versa, the right today defends the workers, the left has become liberal, it’s a mess,” he said, admitting that he also liked far-right group CasaPound on Facebook as well as League party member and minister for family and disability Lorenzo Fontana.



“I have opinions on news stories sometimes on one side and sometimes on the other, I do not feel like labelling myself if one says something right I share it, whether it’s Salvini or [left-wing former Prime Minister Matteo] Renzi,” he added.

On the subject of President Trump, he said, “[he] is the president of the United States — I think it’s interesting to know what he thinks,” but noted that he voted a “white card” at the last election which involves handing in an unmarked ballot.

While it is unusual for musicians and artists to express their support for Salvini in Italy, regular Italians are not as shy about how they feel about him and his right-wing populist League Party as it has consistently led opinion polls for several months.

Anastasio is also not the first European rapper to be criticised for his political views. In neighbouring France, rappers have not been criticised for supporting populists, but rather, as was the case with rapper Medine, their anti-French and pro-Islamist views.