To his surprise, Education Minister Louis Galea found himself put up as a model by a gay website, along with other European ministers, yesterday.

The website gay. it was promoting the big demonstration held in Rome yesterday in favour of civil rights pacts (Dico) with the expected participation of ministers in the Centre-Left government such as Social Solidarity Paolo Ferrero, Environment Pecoraro Scanio, and Rights and Equal Opportunities Barbara Pollastrini.

The website said the participation of ministers in such public manifestations is accepted elsewhere in the world. It then mentioned that in 2004, at Malta’s first Gay Pride day, Minister Louis Galea had taken part, as had former French minister Jack Lang, and even New Zealand’s Prime Minister Helen Clark.

In contrast, the idea of ministers taking part in such public manifestations is still very much a novelty in Italy, so much so that Justice Minister Clemente Mastella told his ministerial colleagues that if they were to go to yesterday’s manifestation, he would feel free to attend the next Family Day organised by the Catholics.