Cecile Kyenge

Cecile Kyenge: One politician from a party that not long ago ruled in a coalition derided what he called Italy's new "bonga bonga government." On Wednesday, amid increasing revulsion over the reaction, the government authorized an investigation into neo-fascist websites whose members called Kyenge "Congolese monkey" and other epithets, according to CBC. Premier Enrico Letta tapped Kyenge to be minister of integration in his hybrid centre-left and centre-right government that won its second vote of confidence Tuesday. In his introductory speech to parliament, Letta touted Kyenge's appointment as a "new concept about the confines of barriers giving way to hope, of unsurpassable limits giving way to a bridge between diverse communities." It was hailed as a giant step forward for racial integration in a country that has long been ill at ease with its growing immigrant classes. But Cecile Kyenge's appointment as Italy's first black cabinet minister has instead exposed the nation's ugly race problem, a blight that flares regularly on the soccer pitch with racist taunts and in the diatribes of xenophobic politicians but has now raised its head at the centre of political life. Kyenge, 48, was born in Congo and moved to Italy three decades ago to study medicine. An eye surgeon, she lives in Modena with her Italian husband and two children. She was active in local centre-left politics before winning a seat in the lower chamber of deputies in February elections. 'There was no racism 40 years ago because there were no non-white Italians.' James Walston, political science professor (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.