A mayor is facing voters’ fury after a Facebook comment telling all single women to report to him at his Town Hall office to solve falling birth rates.

Pierpaolo Sau – mayor of Tonara, a town on the island of Sardinia – astonished social media users when he responded to a serious post about regional depopulation.

He wrote: “All single women are obliged to go to the Mayor’s office, three hours away from each other. A measure issued by me in Tonara in 2010 to combat the decline in births.”

Furious critics branded the message “sleazy” and many social media users called on Sau to resign.

Local MP – Deputy Francesca Ghirra – said: “A sleazy and sexist joke. An unworthy and unacceptable attitude by anyone, but even more by those who hold institutional positions.

“Shame on you and leave the government of the municipality to someone who has greater respect for women and for the entire community of Tonara”.

Shamefaced Sau has since removed the comment and apologised, claiming he does not understand how to use social media.

He said: “Excuse me, what I wrote is not worthy of a mayor or a common person.

“I don’t use social media well and I thought it was a message directed only to whoever wrote the post, not to be written anyway.”

He claimed that despite his message, he has always respected women.

Sau went on: “I have never lacked respect and I have always thought that the female presence is decisive in all problems.

“In fact, in the councils I have nominated I have always and always requested their presence.

“I apologise to anyone who felt offended. I have almost always voted for a woman in all levels of elections.

“I am the father of two girls who I adore and adore me.

“My interventions, especially on the decline in births in our territories, have always been energetic and determined.

“Unfortunately, like many in this area, I am used to joking too much and I assure you that I usually joke about my misfortunes.”