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POLITICS

Militant feminist in new Italian cabinet line-up

Italy's new government line-up brings together personalities from across the political spectrum, from Silvio Berlusconi's protégé to a crime fighter and a militant feminist from the radical party.

Militant feminist in new Italian cabinet line-up
Foreign Minister Emma Bonino arrives for Prime Minister Enrico Letta's first cabinet meeting. Photo: Filippo Monteforte/AFP

Here are some of the key names of the coalition members tasked with tackling the social and economic crisis in recession-hit Italy, but who risk sparring over key reforms called for to revitalize the eurozone's third largest economy.

Enrico Letta, prime minister, was number two in the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), and a strong critic of the left's rival, former premier Silvio Berlusconi.

The 46-year old moderate, a Catholic with a "post-ideological" image, is one of the youngest prime ministers in the European Union and has already served in four governments.

Angelino Alfano, deputy prime minister and interior minister, has been a Berlusconi loyalist since the media tycoon entered politics in the early 1990s. Born in 1970, he rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming justice minister and then leader of Berlusconi's People of Freedom party.

A lawyer, he is best known as the architect of a law intended to shield Berlusconi from prosecution, which was later overturned by a Constitutional Court ruling.

Fabrizio Saccomanni, economy minister, 70, has been the director general of the Bank of Italy since 2006 and turned the spotlight on the country's precarious workers in particular, highlighting problems in the labour market.

Saccomanni participated in the negotiations for the creation of the European single currency and helped manage Italy's transition from the lira to the euro.

More recently, he dismissed as exaggerated fears that debt-laden Italy could end up contributing to a eurozone break-up and has accused powerful ratings agencies of overstepping their roles and fuelling market anxiety unnecessarily.

Emma Bonino, foreign minister, 65, is a militant feminist and former member of Italy's radical party.

Jailed for three weeks in 1975 for protesting in favour of abortion rights, she is renowned for her battles to legalize divorce, decriminalize soft drugs like marijuana, support religious and sexual freedoms and stop the use of nuclear energy.

A graduate in modern languages who speaks Arabic, she is a former European commissioner for humanitarian aid.

Anna Maria Cancellieri, justice minister, 69, was interior minister under Mario Monti and is a former prefect with a reputation as a crime fighter and a troubleshooter in times of crisis.

Nicknamed the "Iron Lady" for her leadership style and uncompromising stance on corruption, she has been courted by the left, right and centre during her long career but has remained impartial and avoided aligning herself with any political party.

A staunch anti-mafia campaigner, she has defended the Italian state against accusations that it is unable to prevent infiltration by powerful crime groups.

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TERRORISM

Italy on maximum terror alert over Easter after Moscow attack

Italy was to increase surveillance in busy areas ahead of the Easter holidays and following the bombing of a Moscow concert hall, ministers agreed on Monday.

Italy on maximum terror alert over Easter after Moscow attack

Italy’s national committee for public security, chaired by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, on Monday said anti-terrorism monitoring in Italy must be strengthened ahead of the Easter holidays, with more surveillance to be carried out at popular tourist spots and at “sensitive sites”.

The committee agreed on “the importance of continuing monitoring activity, including online, by police and intelligence forces for the identification of possible risk situations” in Italy, reported news agency Ansa.

The security meeting was convened following the terrorist attack in Moscow on Friday where armed men opened fire and set the building ablaze, killing at least 133 people.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had stressed to the public on Sunday that Italy faced “no concrete risk” and said the country’s security and law enforcement services were “always on the alert to prevent any attack.”

“During the Easter holidays you will need to be very careful. We will always do the utmost to ensure the safety of citizens and tourists,” Tajani said, speaking on national broadcaster Rai’s current affairs show Restart.

READ ALSO: Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

The fight against terrorism “has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine,” the minister continued.

“We support Ukraine” as an invaded country in which international law has been violated, he said, “but as the Italian government we have expressed our condemnation of the attack [in Moscow] and closeness to the families of the victims and the survivors”.

Cabinet Secretary Alfredo Mantovano said on the same programme that the main terrorist threat Italy faced at the moment was mainly from “lone wolves” and “not so much from organised groups.”

“I believe that a group like the one that acted in the Moscow attack, which must have been trained and had logistical support, would be intercepted sooner in Italy,” he said.

“The most worrying threat” in Italy was online recruitment, he said, noting that propaganda was closely monitored.

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