Italy's most famous porn star, Cicciolina, 68, launches political party after government cut her pension - three decades after she was elected as an MP

• lona Staller, 68, was an erotic film actress in the 1980s before becoming an MP 
• Between 1987 and 1991, she grabbed headlines with outlandish policy pledges 
• She has founded Democracy, Nature and Love party in protest at pension cuts

A famous Italian porn star has founded a new political party to spearhead the fightback against the governing populists after they slashed her pension. 

Known by her stage name Cicciolina, Ilona Staller, 68, was a well-known erotic film actress in the 1980s before forging a career in politics.

Between 1987 and 1991 she served as an MP with the Radical Party and made headline-grabbing policy pledges, such as offering to have sex with Saddam Hussein in return for peace in Iraq.

Now, she is poised to once again hit the campaign trail with the new Democracy, Nature and Love party, which will be used as a vehicle to vent personal fury over the Five Star Movement's swingeing pension cuts, according to The Times. 

When Staller retired, she enjoyed the Italian Parliament's €3,100-a-month lump sum payment.

But in a show against the elite, the populists who control the reins of power in Rome took a knife to MPs' pensions and reduced it to €1,000.

Staller has branded this cut 'unconstitutional' and is drumming up a clamour to see ministers' own wallets take a similar hit.

Defiant, she said: 'I am getting back into politics to point out that these politicians are slashing the pensions of ex-MPs while keeping their own wages.'  

Staller first gained traction in Hungary in the early 1970s as a model, before heading south to Italy to begin life as a porn actress.

With renowned pornographer Riccardo Schicchim she founded Diva Futura porn studios.

Yet she really shot to national fame in a memorable TV interview where she flashed her breasts live on air.

Staller continued to produce porn films while she dipped her toe in politics, running unsuccessfully for the Green Party before finally winning a seat with the Radicals.

But she ditched the party in 1991 and four years later established her own party - the Party of Love - with a fellow porn star.

Flagship policies included legalising prostitution, same sex marriage and cannabis for medicinal reasons.

Now, she has once again set her sights on public office with the Democracy, Nature and Love Party. 

The next election is not until 2023, but the Italian political landscape has been increasingly tumultuous since Five Star ruptured the traditional two-partyism in 2013.

The party, which was founded by comedian Beppe Grillo, was forced into coalition with the Democratic Party in late 2019 after the anti-immigration Northern League pulled out of government.