Roberto Maroni
Encyclopedia
Roberto Maroni is an Italian
politician from Varese
. He is a member of the Northern League
(Italian:
Lega Nord) political movement. Since 1992 he is a Member of the Chamber of Duputies
of the Italian Republic, always elected in Lombardy
's districts and costituencies. He currently serves as Interior Minister
of the Italian Republic.
, from the University of Milan. He became a lawyer after spending two years working as a Legal Affairs Manager for various companies.
In 1990, he was elected Province Secretary of the Northern League
in Varese
. He also became a town councilor in Varese
that year. Two years later, he was elected Chairman of the Northern League
Parliamentary Group. He also entered the party's Federal Council and campaigned heavily for the Northern League prior to Berlusconi's first Cabinet.
He had already served as Minister of the Interior
during the first Silvio Berlusconi
administration, from 1994 to 1995. He also served as Minister of Labour and Welfare from 2001 until May 2006 during Berlusconi's second and third governments.
In April 2006, after Berlusconi narrowly lost his re-election bid to Romano Prodi
, Maroni alleged problems with the election comparable to those in Florida during the 2000 Presidential election
. "The level pegging is very similar to what happened in Florida. With one vote more or one vote less, you lose or you win," he said.
After the 2008 electoral victory
of the centre-right coalition in Italy
he assumed the office of Minister of the Interior in the cabinet led by Silvio Berlusconi
.
Following Silvio Berlusconi's departure from office, he currently leads with its party the Northern League a fierce and demagogic opposition to Mario Monti's government.
that he downloads music illegally and thinks music should be "free and accessible to all". He added that authors should still be able to stop their work from being widely distributed on the Internet
. Maroni said his confession was intended to spark a discussion in Parliament
about changing Italy's copyright laws, which are among the strictest in Europe.
Maroni himself is also a musician, playing keyboards in the "Distretto 51" soul
band from the 80's.
in 1996, and sentenced to 8 months (later changed into a fine), when police inspected his office.
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 from Varese
Varese
Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
. He is a member of the Northern League
Northern League (Italy)
Lega Nord , whose complete name is Lega Nord per l'Indipendenza della Padania , is a federalist and regionalist political party in Italy founded in 1991 as a federation of several regional parties of Northern and Central Italy, most of which had arisen...
(Italian:
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
Lega Nord) political movement. Since 1992 he is a Member of the Chamber of Duputies
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...
of the Italian Republic, always elected in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
's districts and costituencies. He currently serves as Interior Minister
Italian Minister of the Interior
This is a list of Italian Ministers of the Interior since 1861.-Kingdom of Italy:-Italian Republic:...
of the Italian Republic.
Career
In 1979, he received a law degree, with a dissertation in Civil LawCivil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
, from the University of Milan. He became a lawyer after spending two years working as a Legal Affairs Manager for various companies.
In 1990, he was elected Province Secretary of the Northern League
Northern League (Italy)
Lega Nord , whose complete name is Lega Nord per l'Indipendenza della Padania , is a federalist and regionalist political party in Italy founded in 1991 as a federation of several regional parties of Northern and Central Italy, most of which had arisen...
in Varese
Province of Varese
The Province of Varese is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Varese but its largest city is Busto Arsizio....
. He also became a town councilor in Varese
Varese
Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
that year. Two years later, he was elected Chairman of the Northern League
Northern League (Italy)
Lega Nord , whose complete name is Lega Nord per l'Indipendenza della Padania , is a federalist and regionalist political party in Italy founded in 1991 as a federation of several regional parties of Northern and Central Italy, most of which had arisen...
Parliamentary Group. He also entered the party's Federal Council and campaigned heavily for the Northern League prior to Berlusconi's first Cabinet.
He had already served as Minister of the Interior
Italian Minister of the Interior
This is a list of Italian Ministers of the Interior since 1861.-Kingdom of Italy:-Italian Republic:...
during the first 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...
administration, from 1994 to 1995. He also served as Minister of Labour and Welfare from 2001 until May 2006 during Berlusconi's second and third governments.
In April 2006, after Berlusconi narrowly lost his re-election bid to Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...
, Maroni alleged problems with the election comparable to those in Florida during the 2000 Presidential election
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
. "The level pegging is very similar to what happened in Florida. With one vote more or one vote less, you lose or you win," he said.
After the 2008 electoral victory
Italian general election, 2008
A snap general election was held in Italy on 13 April and 14 April 2008. The election came after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament on 6 February 2008 following the defeat of the government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi in a January 2008 Senate vote, and the unsuccessful tentative...
of the centre-right coalition in Italy
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...
he assumed the office of Minister of the Interior in the cabinet led by 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...
.
Following Silvio Berlusconi's departure from office, he currently leads with its party the Northern League a fierce and demagogic opposition to Mario Monti's government.
Passion for music
In September 2006, Maroni told Vanity FairVanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
that he downloads music illegally and thinks music should be "free and accessible to all". He added that authors should still be able to stop their work from being widely distributed on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. Maroni said his confession was intended to spark a discussion in Parliament
Parliament of Italy
The Parliament of Italy is the national parliament of Italy. It is a bicameral legislature with 945 elected members . The Chamber of Deputies, with 630 members is the lower house. The Senate of the Republic is the upper house and has 315 members .Since 2005, a party list electoral law is being...
about changing Italy's copyright laws, which are among the strictest in Europe.
Maroni himself is also a musician, playing keyboards in the "Distretto 51" soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
band from the 80's.
Conviction
Maroni was convicted of resistance against a public official during a police raid of his party's building in via Bellerio in MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in 1996, and sentenced to 8 months (later changed into a fine), when police inspected his office.