Biography


Francesco Rutelli is a member of the Italian Senate, founder and President of "Alleanza per l'Italia" political movement.

He is Co-President of the European Democratic Party, a centrist and progressive political group, today counting approximately 20 MEPs.
 
He also chairs the "Centro per un Futuro Sostenibile" (Centre for a Sustainable Future - a leading bipartisan think tank on climate change and environmental issues).

In May 2008, he has been unanimously elected as Chairman of CoPaSiR (Comitato Parlamentare per la Sicurezza della Repubblica), the Parliamentary Committee overviewing the Intelligence community structure and activity. He has resigned from the charge in December 2009: though no rule or legislation forced him to do so, he resigned when taking his new political charge.

He was born in 1954. Married with Barbara Palombelli, journalist. They have four children.

He has been Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Culture in Romano Prodi’s Cabinet (2006-2008).

In 1983, 1987, 1992, 2001, 2006 and 2008 General Elections he has been elected as a Member of the Italian Parliament, and in the European Parliament in 1999.

In April 1993 Prime Minister Carlo Azeglio Ciampi called him to serve as Minister for Environment and Urban areas; he resigned after only 3 days.

In December 1993 he became the first Mayor of Rome to be elected directly by the citizens, and re-elected in 1997, with the widest popular vote ever registered in city elections (990 thousand votes, 61%). During this latter mandate, he was also appointed as Special Commissioner for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.

In 2001 General elections, he ran as Prime Minister candidate, leading the centre-left “L’Ulivo” coalition (The Olive Tree), which gained 16.4 millions of votes, against the coalition led by Silvio Berlusconi (which gained 16.95 millions of votes).

Elected in March 2002 as “Democrazia è Libertà – La Margherita” party’s President, he was confirmed in March 2004 and April 2007. In October 2007 “La Margherita” merged into the Partito Democratico (PD).

In 2009 he promotes the political movement "Alleanza per l'Italia".

Honorary Award “Building Europe from the cities: Mayors that made history”
Disputacio Barcelona, February 2010