Giustina Destro
Encyclopedia
Giustina Mistrello Destro (Padua
, 9 June 1945) is an Italian
politician and entrepreneur.
An entrepreneur by profession, Destro joined politics relatively late in her life. In 1999 she formed a list for Padua municipal election and ran as an independent candidate for mayor, with the support of centre-right parties, notably including Forza Italia
(FI). Her bid was successful as she defeated outgoing mayor Flavio Zanonato
in a run-off. Having joined FI in 2001, she ran as the official FI candidate four years later. Most Paduans were unimpressed by her record as mayor and she was consequently trounced in the election: she obtained just 33.6% of the vote and her long-time opponent Zanonato went on to win in the first round with 51.9% of the vote.
Despite her unpopularity among voters in Padua, she continued her political career through the ranks of FI and, later, The People of Freedom
(PdL). She was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies
at the 2006 general election
and re-elected in 2008
. An enthusiastic supporter of fellow entrepreneur Silvio Berlusconi
, during her second term as deputy, she grew critical of him. In November 2010 she joined former minister Claudio Scajola
and the Christopher Columbus Foundation
, whose members were known as Scajoliani
and tended to be critical of Berlusconi. In August 2011 she expressed her support for Luca Cordero di Montezemolo's Future Italy
.
On 14 October 2011 Destro voted against Berlusconi's government
during a vote of confidence. Following this, she abruptly left the PdL and confirmed her support to Montezemolo instead, saying that he would soon launch his political bid.
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, 9 June 1945) is an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
politician and entrepreneur.
An entrepreneur by profession, Destro joined politics relatively late in her life. In 1999 she formed a list for Padua municipal election and ran as an independent candidate for mayor, with the support of centre-right parties, notably including Forza Italia
Forza Italia
Forza Italia was a liberal-conservative, Christian democratic, and liberal political party in Italy, with a large social democratic minority, that was led by Silvio Berlusconi, four times Prime Minister of Italy....
(FI). Her bid was successful as she defeated outgoing mayor Flavio Zanonato
Flavio Zanonato
Flavio Zanonato is an Italian politician who is currently Mayor of Padua.A long-time member of the Italian Communist Party and of its successor parties, he is now a member of the Democratic Party....
in a run-off. Having joined FI in 2001, she ran as the official FI candidate four years later. Most Paduans were unimpressed by her record as mayor and she was consequently trounced in the election: she obtained just 33.6% of the vote and her long-time opponent Zanonato went on to win in the first round with 51.9% of the vote.
Despite her unpopularity among voters in Padua, she continued her political career through the ranks of FI and, later, The People of Freedom
The People of Freedom
The People of Freedom is a centre-right political party in Italy. With the Democratic Party, it is one of the two major parties of the current Italian party system....
(PdL). She was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies
Italian Chamber of Deputies
The Italian Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Parliament of Italy. It has 630 seats, a plurality of which is controlled presently by liberal-conservative party People of Freedom. Twelve deputies represent Italian citizens outside of Italy. Deputies meet in the Palazzo Montecitorio. A...
at the 2006 general election
Italian general election, 2006 (Veneto)
The Italian general election of 2006 took place on 10–11 April 2006. The election was won in Veneto by the centre-right House of Freedoms coalition by a landslide in an election narrowly won by the centre-left The Union at the national level....
and re-elected in 2008
Italian general election, 2008 (Veneto)
The Italian general election of 2008 took place on 13–14 April 2008. The election was won in Veneto by the centre-right coalition between The People of Freedom and Lega Nord, as it happened at the national level...
. An enthusiastic supporter of fellow entrepreneur Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
, during her second term as deputy, she grew critical of him. In November 2010 she joined former minister Claudio Scajola
Claudio Scajola
Claudio Scajola is an Italian politician.-Career:A long-time Christian Democrat, he was mayor of Imperia in the Eighties, as his father and his brother had been. When Christian Democracy disbanded, he joined Forza Italia in 1995. He was then elected deputy in 1996 and was national coordinator of...
and the Christopher Columbus Foundation
Christopher Columbus Foundation
The Christopher Columbus Foundation, whose complete name is Christopher Columbus Foundation for Freedoms is a faction and think tank within The People of Freedom , a political party in Italy...
, whose members were known as Scajoliani
Scajoliani
Scajoliani refers to the faction around Claudio Scajola, a leading member of The People of Freedom , a political party in Italy.The group wielded particular influence within Forza Italia , the main precursor of PdL. Scajola and his allies proposed a stronger party organization, differently from...
and tended to be critical of Berlusconi. In August 2011 she expressed her support for Luca Cordero di Montezemolo's Future Italy
Future Italy
Future Italy is an Italian liberal-centrist think tank formed in 2009 by Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, president of Ferrari, former president of FIAT and Confindustria Its director is Andrea Romano...
.
On 14 October 2011 Destro voted against Berlusconi's government
Berlusconi IV Cabinet
Berlusconi IV Cabinet has been the cabinet of the government of Italy from 8 May 2008 to 16 November 2011.As of July 2011, it was composed of 24 ministers, 4 deputy ministers and 39 under-secretaries, for a total of 67 members.-Sources:*...
during a vote of confidence. Following this, she abruptly left the PdL and confirmed her support to Montezemolo instead, saying that he would soon launch his political bid.