The line-up of the new government — Conte bis — is ready. Who are the ministers of the executive that today was sworn in at the Quirinale before the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella.
The ministerial line-up of Giuseppe Conte's new government has just been sworn in before the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella.
"Armed with a programme that looks to the future, we will dedicate our finest energies, skills and passion to making Italy better in the interests of all citizens from north to south," the Prime Minister declared yesterday at the Quirinale.
The undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers is Riccardo Fraccaro, former minister for Relations with Parliament. He served as spokesman for the Movimento 5 stelle and secretary of the Presidency Bureau, and is a staunch supporter of the law cutting the number of members of parliament.
Watch: The President of the Council of Ministers, Giuseppe Conte, announces the composition of the government
Sergio Costa, minister of the Environment
He served as regional commander of the Corpo forestale dello Stato until its dissolution in 2016, which he strongly criticised. In a post on Facebook he stated that "the Environment is his life" and that he has been "working from day one as minister to restore legality and environmental protection to the top of the agenda." He is known for having led the investigation that led to the discovery of the Terra dei fuochi, the illegal dumping ground straddling the provinces of Naples and Caserta. He is also a brigadier general of the Arma dei carabinieri and has described himself as a "servant of the state." During the previous legislature, Di Maio put forward Sergio Costa's name because he believed him to be "the ideal person to put forward for the Ministry of the Environment, as one of those who have distinguished themselves most in the fight against environmental crime." He was born in 1959 and holds a master's degree in Agricultural Sciences and a master's in Environmental Law.
Roberto Gualtieri, minister of the Economy
In 2009 he moved to Europe, becoming one of the most influential MEPs in the Pd. He subsequently became president of the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and served as economic adviser in both the Renzi government and the Gentiloni government. In 1985, it was Nicola Zingaretti who handed him his signed membership card for the Communist Party. He was born in 1966 and is a professor of contemporary history at the Università "La Sapienza" in Rome.
In 2017 she served as prefect of Milan, as a councillor of state and as chief of staff during the tenures of Alfano and Minniti. She has always been regarded as a highly experienced "technocrat," to the extent that, following the closed-door policies of former deputy prime minister and minister of the Interior Matteo Salvini, she was chosen to reopen relations with Europe. She was born in 1953 in Potenza and is a lawyer.
Luigi Di Maio, minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Since September 2017 he has been the political leader of the Movimento 5 stelle. During the previous legislature he served as deputy prime minister and minister of Economic Development, Labour and Social Policies. The reddito di cittadinanza and the decreto dignità were the two reforms that defined his previous term in office. In a post on Facebook he stated that it would be his "concern to pursue the internationalisation of our economic system and our industry and research, expanding cooperation channels in the multilateral sphere." He was born in 1986 in Avellino, Campania, attended courses in engineering and law without completing either, and has been a registered freelance journalist since 2007.
Alfonso Bonafede, minister of Justice
Sicilian by birth, he practises as a lawyer in Florence. Having stood as a candidate for mayor of the city in 2009 against Matteo Renzi, he obtained 1.8 per cent of the vote. During the previous legislature he held the same role. He is Luigi Di Maio's "right-hand man" and is responsible for the Scudo della rete function available on the Rousseau online platform, with the aim of providing legal defence to members and elected representatives of the Movimento and ensuring the party's protection. He supports the No tav movement and during the previous government stated that his programme "remained that of reviewing all useless major public works." He was born in 1976 and has been a supporter of the Movimento from the very beginning.
Lorenzo Guerini, minister of Defence
Between 2014 and 2017 he served as deputy secretary of the Pd alongside Debora Serracchiani. He has worked on the intelligence services committee and at the defence ministry, and is president of the Copasir, the Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic. In 2014, at the start of the Renzi government, he had mediated the institutional consultations for the formation of the new government. He was born in 1966 in Lodi, holds a degree in Political Science, and worked for a period as an insurance agent.
Dario Franceschini, minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism
He had already led this ministry during the Renzi and Gentiloni governments. From 2008 to 2012 he represented the Italian Parliament at the Council of Europe. In 2009 he had run in the Pd primary but lost the contest against Pier Luigi Bersani. He was born in 1958 and graduated in Law in Ferrara, his home city. He subsequently practised as a lawyer for a time.
Teresa Bellanova, minister of Agricultural and Forestry Policies
In 2018 she was elected as a Pd senator for the Emilia-Romagna constituency. During the Renzi government she served as undersecretary for Labour, and from 2016 she held the role of deputy minister of Economic Development. She was born in 1958 in the province of Brindisi and worked for nearly 30 years in the trade union movement.
Paola De Micheli, minister of Infrastructure and Transport
She managed Nicola Zingaretti's primary campaign and was part of the Renzi government as undersecretary for the Economy, despite having always described herself as a committed supporter of Bersani and Letta. She played a key role in the negotiations with the M5s for the formation of the new yellow-red government. She was born in 1973 in Piacenza, holds a degree in Political Science from the Cattolica in Milan, and has been president of Legavolley since 2016.
Elena Bonetti, Minister for Equal Opportunities and the Family
Recently joined the PD's lists, she has distinguished herself through her commitment to the fight for the recognition of LGBT community rights: in 2014 she signed an appeal, together with don Gallo, calling on the State and the Church to revise their positions and recognise gay unions. Born in 1974 in the province of Mantua, she is an associate professor of Mathematical Analysis at the University of Milan and has a background as a scout leader in Agesci, the Association of Italian Catholic Guides and Scouts.
Stefano Patuanelli, Minister of Economic Development
A committed Five Star Movement supporter and loyal backer of Di Maio, he distinguished himself for his work as a negotiator during the government crisis. Born in Trieste in 1974, he holds a degree in Building Engineering.
Nunzia Catalfo, Minister of Labour
Regarded as the mother of the citizens' income, she campaigned for five years for its approval. She entered parliament in 2013 as a senator for the Five Star Movement and was immediately appreciated and respected by her colleagues thanks to her open and dialogue-oriented approach. Born in 1967 in Catania.
Lorenzo Fioramonti, Minister of Education
He is a professor of Political Economy at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and a member of the United Nations University. He has written articles for several foreign newspapers, including the New York Times and The Guardian, and has a monthly column in Business Day, South Africa's leading financial daily.
Roberto Speranza, Minister of Health
In 2017 he left the Democratic Party following clashes with Matteo Renzi, and in 2018, during the general election, he was re-elected as a member of parliament with Liberi e uguali. Born in 1979 in Potenza, he holds a degree in Political Science from the Luiss in Milan.
Federico D'Incà, Minister for Parliamentary Relations
In 2018 he was a quaestor of the Chamber of Deputies and served on the Budget Committee. Born in 1976 in Belluno, he holds a degree in Economics and Commerce from the University of Trento.
Enzo Amendola, Minister for European Affairs
Since June 2019 he has served as the PD's foreign affairs spokesperson, a
