We should all get 'heartbreak leave' – but oh, the irony that it's Giorgia Meloni leading the charge | Elle Hunt

Italy's prime minister wasn't afraid to take a day off when her relationship ended, and neither was I. It should be the norm

One Monday morning, many years ago, I was riding the bus to work. As it came to a stop at the corner where I always got off, I found I remained seated. I stayed on the bus all the way to the end of the line where I finally alighted and caught the next bus straight home.

The day before, I had been dumped by my boyfriend of a year. And the day before that, I had introduced him to a group of my colleagues. The thought of showing up at the office and forcing a smile through their debrief - or, worse, dissolving into tears - felt impossible.