Raffaele Fitto (born 28 August 1969) is an Italian politician and a former member of the European Parliament. He is serving as the Minister for European Affairs in the Meloni Cabinet since 2022.
Raffaele Fitto | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Raffaele Fitto in 2023 | |
| Minister for European Affairs, South and Cohesion Policies | |
| Assumed office 22 October 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Giorgia Meloni |
| Preceded by | Vincenzo Amendola (European Affairs, 2021) Mara Carfagna (South and Cohesion) |
| Co-Chair of the European Conservatives and Reformists | |
| In office 2 July 2019 – 12 October 2022 | |
| Serving alongside | Ryszard Legutko Jorge Buxadé |
| Member of European Parliament for Southern Italy | |
| In office 1 July 2014 – 12 October 2022 | |
| Succeeded by | Denis Nesci |
| In office 20 July 1999 – 20 June 2000 | |
| Member of Chamber of Deputies | |
| Assumed office 13 October 2022 | |
| In office 28 April 2006 – 25 June 2014 | |
| Minister for Regional Affairs and Territorial Cohesion | |
| In office 8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011 | |
| Prime Minister | Silvio Berlusconi |
| Preceded by | Linda Lanzillotta |
| Succeeded by | Piero Gnudi (Regional Affairs) Fabrizio Barca (Territorial Cohesion) |
| President of Apulia | |
| In office 19 May 2000 – 27 April 2005 | |
| Preceded by | Salvatore Distaso |
| Succeeded by | Nichi Vendola |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 August 1969 Maglie, Italy |
| Political party | FdI (since 2019) |
| Other political affiliations | DC (1990–1994) PPI (1994–1995) CDU (1995–1998) CDL (1998–2001) FI (2001–2009) FI (2013–2015) PdL (2009–2013) CoR (2015–2017) DI (2017–2019) |
| Alma mater | University of Bari |
| Profession | Politician |
| Website | raffaelefitto |
Career edit
Born in Maglie, Apulia, Fitto began his political career during the 1990s in Christian Democracy (DC), the ruling party of post-war Italy. When the DC was dissolved and with the birth of the Second Italian Republic, he joined the DC's successor political parties and Christian democratic parties, such as Italian People's Party (PPI), the United Christian Democrats (CDU), and the Christian Democrats for Freedom (CDL). In 1999, he was elected at European Parliament within the elctoral list of Forza Italia (FI), of which he was a member from 2001 to 2009, when he joined The People of Freedom (PdL), the new party of Silvio Berlusconi. On 17 May 2015, Fitto left the new Forza Italia, which had joined when it was re-founded in 2013, and the European People's Party Group to join the European Conservatives and Reformists.[1][2] From 2015 to 2017, Fitto was a member of Conservatives and Reformists (CoR). In 2017, he joined Direction Italy (DI), which left in 2019 to join the Brothers of Italy party led by Giorgia Meloni. In 2022, he was appointed to Giorgia Meloni's government. He was replaced in the European Parliament by Denis Nesci.[3]
Trials edit
Bribery towards the Italian public health care system edit
In 2006, Fitto was investigated by the Bari prosecutor in connection with a donation to his regional party La Puglia Prima di Tutto of €500,000 by Tosinvest, a company owned by Antonio Angelucci, ahead of the 2005 Apulian regional election. According to the prosecution, this amount was suspected of being a bribe to secure for the Apulia region the management of eleven nursing homes. A request to arrest Fitto, who in the meantime had become a member of theItalian Parliament, was rejected by the Chamber of Deputies. In December 2009, he was found guilty of abuse of office, corruption, and illegal financing of political parties; Fitto was acquitted of some other charges in June 2012.[4]
In February 2013, Fitto was sentenced by the Court of first instance (Tribunale di Primo Grado) to four years in prison and five years' disqualification from public office;[5] the sentence was commuted to 1 year.[6] In September 2015, Fitto was acquitted of all charges by the Court of second instance (Corte d'Appello).[7] In June 2017, he was acquitted of all charges by the Supreme Court of Cassation (Corte di Cassazione).[8]
Bankruptcy of Cedis edit
In February 2009, Fitto was accused of conspiring, during his time as president of Apulia (2000–2005) to short-sell the trading company Cedis at that time (2004–2006) in administration.[9] The charges were filed in April 2009. In March 2017, Fitto was acquitted of all charges by the Court of second instance.[10]
References edit
- ^ "Fitto, addio a Forza Italia: "Lascio anche il Ppe". Berlusconi: "Siamo felici, ci ha tolto un peso"". 17 May 2015.
- ^ "Berlusconi taglia la fronda: "Basta politici mestieranti, se vanno via siamo felici"".
- ^ "9th parliamentary term | Raffaele FITTO | MEPs | European Parliament". European Parliament. 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2024. Updated through the years.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ "Processo 'La Fiorita', assoluzione con formula piena per Raffaele Fitto - Il Fatto Quotidiano". 1 June 2012.
- ^ "Tangenti: condannato a 4 anni l'ex ministro Raffaele Fitto (Pdl)". 13 February 2013.
- ^ "Bari, ex ministro Raffaele Fitto condannato a 4 anni di carcere, tre condonati - Il Fatto Quotidiano". 13 February 2013.
- ^ "Raffaele Fitto assolto in secondo grado dall'accusa di corruzione nell'inchiesta Fiorita: "Non ci fu tangente" - Il Fatto Quotidiano". 29 September 2015.
- ^ "Legali: per Cassazione nessuna corruzione addebitabile a Fitto".
- ^ "Inchiesta su turbativa d'asta Fitto rinuncia alla prescrizione - Bari - Repubblica.it".
- ^ "Vicenda Cedis, Fitto e Montinari assolti a Bari".
External links edit
- (in Italian) Raffaele Fitto - official website