Gianni Pittella

Gianni Pittella
Leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 July 2014
Preceded by Martin Schulz (Acting)
President of the European Parliament
Acting
In office
18 June 2014 – 1 July 2014
Vice President
Preceded by Martin Schulz
Succeeded by Martin Schulz
Personal details
Born 19 November 1958
Lauria, Italy
Political party Socialist Party (Before 1994)
Labour Federation (1994–1998)
Democrats of the Left (1998–2007)
Democratic Party (2007–present)

Gianni Pittella (born Giovanni Saverio Furio; Lauria, 19 November 1958) is an Italian politician from Basilicata. He is a member of the Italian Democratic Party (PD) and the current president of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), second largest political group of the European Parliament.

Local and National Political Career

Following the political career of his father, the former member of the Senate of the Italian Republic (1972 – 1983), Domenico Pittella, he was a member of the Italian Socialist Party, Labour Federation and Democrats of the Left.

At the age of 21, he was elected to the municipal council of his hometown Lauria and a year later became a member of the regional council of Basilicata with responsibility for training, culture and productive activities.

After graduating in medicine and surgery and later specialising in legal and forensic medicine, Pitella remained very much involved in local and national politics. In 1996 he was elected to the Italian Parliament.

Pittella took part in the 2013 Democratic Party leadership election. He came fourth out of four with 5.7% in the vote by party members, thus being excluded to the subsequent primary election.[1]

European Political Career

In 1999 European Parliament election he was elected to the European Parliament and become a member of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. He was re-elected in 2004, 2009 and 2014. In the European Parliament he was leader of the Italian delegation within the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats and also one of the 14 Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament from 14 July 2009 to 1 July 2014 .

On 6th June 2014 Pittella was elected with 96% of the vote as the President of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, the second largest political group at the European Parliament and the only one with members from all 28 EU member states. As leader of the Socialists and Democrats, Gianni is committed to fighting inequalities by shoring up growth and employment in the EU.

Personal life and family

Besides his political work, Gianni is the author of several books on the future and challenges of the European project such as a Brief History of the Future of the United States of Europe (2013). He is also a visiting professor at the University of East Anglia's London Academy of Diplomacy.

Gianni Pittella is married and has two children.

In September 2013 Pittella's younger brother, Marcello, a fellow Socialist, Labourite, Democrat of the Left and finally Democrat and very close to his brother Gianni,[2] won the centre-left primary for President of Basilicata.[3] In November he was elected President by a landslide.[4]

Career

Here is a summary of Pittella's biography:[5]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.partitodemocratico.it/doc/262492/i-voti-provvisori-del-voto-degli-iscritti.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.marcellopittella.net/index.php/chi-sono.html
  3. ↑ http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2013/09/23/in-basilicata-primarie-al-fotofinish-vince-marcello-pittella/#
  4. ↑ http://elezioni.interno.it/regionali/scrutini/20131117/R17.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.partitodemocratico.eu/autori.asp?id=16

External links

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Political offices
Preceded by
Martin Schulz		 President of the European Parliament
Acting
2014 		Succeeded by
Martin Schulz
Party political offices
Preceded by
Martin Schulz
Acting		 Leader of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
2014–present 		Incumbent