Meloni booed at funeral service for northern separatist

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was booed on Sunday at a funeral service for the deceased right-wing populist Umberto Bossi, a fervent supporter of autonomy for the country's northern regions.

Bossi, the co-founder of the League party, died on Thursday at the age of 84.

At the service in Pontida, north-east of Milan, militant supporters of the League - which is in Meloni's coalition government - chanted "we have a dream in our hearts: to burn the tricolour," a reference to Italy's green, white and red flag.

Bossi became popular with demands for autonomy or even a separate state in northern Italy, independent of Rome, but was unable to achieve the goal.

In the course of his political career, he twice became a minister under former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. He remained a member of parliament until his death.

The current leader of the League, Matteo Salvini, has abandoned the party's original focus on northern Italy, collecting votes in southern regions with a far-right programme.

There were also protests against him at Bossi's funeral, with cries of "traitor" heard.

The League, which was Italy's strongest party for a time, is currently standing below 10% in the polls.

Every September, a large meeting of the League and right-wing populists from all over Europe takes place in Pontida, near Bergamo.