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Gianni Alemanno
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63rd Mayor of Rome
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office April 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Walter Veltroni |
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| In office June 11, 2001 – May 17, 2006 |
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| Prime Minister | Silvio Berlusconi |
| Preceded by | Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio |
| Succeeded by | Paolo De Castro |
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| Born | March 3, 1958 Bari, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Political party | People of Freedom |
| Spouse | Isabella Rauti |
Giovanni "Gianni" Alemanno (b. 3 March 1958 in Bari, Italy) is an Italian politician who is currently Mayor of Rome.
He joined the neo-fascist[1] Italian Social Movement at a very early age and became national secretary of the youth organization of the party in 1988. After being elected regional councillor of Lazio in 1990, he was elected for the first time to the Chamber of Deputies in the 1994 general election.
In 1995, along with Francesco Storace, he founded the Social Right, which was intended to be the more right-wing, socially-oriented and socially conservative faction within National Alliance, the new party which replaced its neo-fascist predecessor, the Italian Social Movement.
Between 2001 and 2006 Alemanno was Minister of Agriculture in Berlusconi II and III Cabinet.
After having been heavily defeated by Walter Veltroni in the 2006 mayoral election of Rome, in April 2008 he defeated Francesco Rutelli and became Mayor of the city. His victory was greeted by crowds of supporters, among them far right skinheads, who chanted "Duce! Duce!" and raised their arms in a fascist salute.[2]
Alemanno always wears a necklace with a celtic cross, which is a neo-fascist symbol in Italy.[3]. He stated he wears it only as a religious symbol and because of a personal meaning for him, being a jewel worn by his friend Paolo di Nella, a far right militant that had been killed during the '70s Anni di Piombo[4].
Alemanno is the son-in-law of Pino Rauti, a former leader of the Italian Social Movement. Rauti was a volunteer in the army of the Italian Social Republic, the puppet state of Nazi Germany in the North of Italy from 1943 to 1945, when he was captured by the British.
In August 2008 Alemanno caused a controversy when Romanian shepherds attacked a Dutch couple that had been camping outside of Rome. The couple was beaten and robbed and the woman was raped. Alemanno stated that the couple had been "very careless" by camping in an area "forgotten by God and man" where camping was illegal. Shadow minister Pina Picierno, demanded that Alemanno apologize to the couple.[5]
In September 2008, Alemanno caused further outrage when he denied that fascism under Mussolini was an "absolute evil". He continued: "I don't think so and I never thought so: fascism was a more complex phenomenon. Many people joined it in good faith, and I don't feel like labelling them with that definition."[2] His comments were condemned by leaders of Rome's Jewish community.[6]
References
- ^ Piero Ignazi - Postfascisti? - Bologna: Il Mulino, 1994
- ^ a b "Italian politicians 'praise' fascist era of Benito Mussolini".(English)
- ^ "Alemanno mostra la croce celtica scontro in tv con Daria Bignardi".(Italian)
- ^ "Alemanno: la mia croce celtica è solo un simbolo religioso".(Italian)
- ^ "Attack on pilgrim tourists reignites Italy's row over immigrants".(English)
- ^ "Roman Jews criticize mayor over Fascist remarks".(English)
External links
- Website of Alemano (in Italian)
- CityMayors profile
- BBC Assignment programme
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio |
Italian Minister of Agriculture 2001–2006 |
Succeeded by Paolo De Castro |
| Preceded by Walter Veltroni |
Mayor of Rome 2008-present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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