Italy is trying to come to terms with the “Orangutan remark,” an extreme racist slur delivered by the Vice President of the Italian Senate, Roberto Calderoli.

Mr Calderoli is a prominent member of the Northern League Party, known for its strong anti immigration policies. His ‘orangutan remark’ was directed at Ms Cecile Kyenge, Italy’s first black minister.

Talking to some of his supporters he said:

“I love animals… but when I see pictures of Kyenge I cannot but think of – even if I’m not saying she is one – the features of an orangutan.”

He went on to accuse her of wanting to set up ‘tribal traditions”in Italy. Since taking office, Ms Kyenge has been subjected to an unending torrent of abuse, which she has handled in a very dignified way.

She even had to endure hearing another member of Mr Calderoli’s party calling for her to be raped, so that she could understand what it would feel like to be raped by an immigrant.

However, it was the furore of my Calderoli’s orangutan remark that created the greatest backlash in Italian society due to its extreme nature.

Under the ensuing pressure, Mr Calderoli was forced to apologize to Ms Kyenge. Some people were making the comparison with a remark from former Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi when he famously describe U.S. President Obama as “sun tanned.”

Events such as these are just a symptom of the difficulties that Italy is experiencing in adjusting to the fact that it is slowly becoming a multi-racial society.

How do you feel about this orangutan remark? Is it a sign of growing racism in Italy? Give us your opinion in the comments feed below.