Francesco Rutelli

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Onorevole
 Francesco Rutelli
Francesco Rutelli

In office
17 May 2006 – 8 May 2008
Prime Minister Romano Prodi
Preceded by Rocco Buttiglione
Succeeded by Sandro Bondi

In office
December 5, 1993 – May 2001
Preceded by Franco Carraro
Succeeded by Walter Veltroni

Incumbent
Assumed office 
April 21, 2006
Constituency XV - Lazio 1

Born June 14, 1954 (1954-06-14) (age 53)
Rome, Italy
Nationality Italian
Political party Democratic Party
Spouse Barbara Palombelli

Francesco Rutelli, MP (born June 14, 1954) is an Italian politician, formerly Mayor of Rome, and former president of the centrist party Democracy is Freedom - Daisy. He was the Minister of Culture and Tourism in the cabinet of Prime Minister Romano Prodi. In 2008 Rutelli ran unsuccessfully for a new term as Mayor of Rome after the resignation of Walter Veltroni.

[edit] Biography

Born in Rome, Rutelli was originally an artist. In the mid-1970s he took part in some collective exhibitions in Roman art galleries, where he showed his surrealist collages. He entered politics joining the Italian Radicals party, for which he was then elected secretary in 1980, aged 26. With the Italian Radicals, Rutelli championed libertarian and secular policies such as legalising abortion, the legalisation of cannabis and unilateral disarmament. First elected as deputy in 1983, confirming his office in 1987 and 1992, he then joined the Federation of the Greens in the late 1980s, becoming one of the party's leading figures, and embracing environmental campaigns.

He was then chosen as Ministry of Environment and Urban Areas in 1993, although he resigned after one day in the post. That same year, he was first elected Mayor of Rome as centre-left coalition candidate, defeating centre-right candidate Gianfranco Fini. He held the position until 2001.

He also served as European Deputy from 1999 to 2004. From the mid-1990s onwards his views appeared increasingly closer to the centre of the Italian political spectrum, accommodating policies normally associated with the Catholic Centre and the Vatican.

In 2001, he was defeated by Silvio Berlusconi in the general election as candidate premier for the centre-left Olive Tree coalition of parties. He was also one of the founders of the Democrats, which became part of Democracy is Freedom – Daisy. Rutelli led the party until merged into the Democratic Party on 14 October 2007.

Francesco Rutelli's role in the Daisy - a party with strong ties with Italian Christian heritage - is often considered a singular achievement after a fairly erratic journey within Italian progressive politics, mainly because of his past social-libertarian and green experiences.

In 2006 he was named Minister of Welfare and Cultural Activities in the of cabinet of Romano Prodi during Prodi's second term as Italian Prime Minister.

In February 2008 he announced his intention to run again as mayor of Rome leading a local centre-left coalition, but lost the local elections on 28 April 2008 against centre-right Gianni Alemanno.

[edit] Miscellaneous

  • Rutelli is a supporter of Roman football club S.S. Lazio.
  • Rutelli's wife, Barbara Palombelli, is a television journalist for the Italian broadcasting stations Rai and Mediaset (owned by the leader of the center-right party People of Freedom Silvio Berlusconi).

[edit] External links

  • Rutelli Roma 2008 - Francesco Rutelli's official web site as candidate running for Mayor of Rome 2008
Italian Chamber of Deputies
Preceded by
Title jointly held
Deputy
1983 – 1992
Legislatures: IX, X, XI
Succeeded by
Title jointly held
Preceded by
Title jointly held
Deputy
2001 – 2008
Legislatures: XIV, XV
Succeeded by
Title jointly held
Italian Senate
Preceded by
Title jointly held
Senator
2008 – present
Legislatures: XVI
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Franco Carraro
Mayor of Rome
1993 – 2001
Succeeded by
Walter Veltroni
Preceded by
Rocco Buttiglione
Minister of Culture and Tourism
2006 – 2008
Succeeded by
Sandro Bondi
Preceded by
Gianfranco Fini, Giulio Tremonti
Deputy Italian Prime Minister
2006 – 2008
Served alongside: Massimo D'Alema
Title abolished
Party political offices
Preceded by
New Party
President of Democracy Is Freedom – The Daisy
2001 – 2007
Succeeded by
Walter Veltroni
As Secretary of the Democratic Party