Cecile Kyenge, an Italian citizen born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been the target of repeated racial slurs since her appointment as integration minister in April.
Roberto Calderoli, vice president of Italy's Senate, said on Saturday at a political rally in the northern town of Treviglio, "I love animals - bears and wolves, as everyone knows - but when I see the pictures of Kyenge I cannot but think of, even if I'm not saying she is one, the features of an orangutan."
He said the success of Kyenge encouraged "illegal immigrants" want to come to Italy, and she should be a minister "in her own country", according to media reports.
Most of the racist taunts - "Congolese monkey", "Zulu" and "the black anti-Italian" - have come from far-right groups.
Last month, a Northern League member in the European parliament was expelled from the eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Democracy group for making racist remarks about her.
