FISTFIGHTS have erupted in the Italian parliament over a proposal that opponents say will further impoverish the south ahead of a meeting of G7 leaders in the country.

Video footage of Wednesday’s incident shows politicians converging on Five Star Movement legislator Leonardo Donno, who opposes the changes, after he tried to hand an Italian flag to Regional Affairs Minister Roberto Calderoli.

Mr Calderoli, a firebrand politician from the League party, which is rooted in northern Italy, drafted the contested expansion of regional autonomy, which would mostly benefit regions such as his party’s strongholds of Veneto and Lombardy.

Mr Donno was taken to the hospital for evaluation after being hit in the head and the chest.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed the leaders of the world’s seven richest nations today for discussion of issues including the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, migration and economic co-operation with developing countries.

In her opening remarks around the G7 round table, Ms Meloni said that the southern region of Puglia, which is among the poor provinces where the olive industry has collapsed, had been chosen to host the summit to send a message that the countries want to “strengthen [their] dialogue with the nations of the global South.”