The National Council of the Forza Italia party elected Foreign Minister Antonio Taiani today (Saturday) as head of the conservative party, which was founded by the late Italian politician Silvio Berlusconi 29 years ago.
“It is not easy to lead a political movement that Silvio Berlusconi has run for nearly 30 years,” Taiani said, after his unanimous selection at the party meeting.
Forza Italia is the junior partner among the three main parties in the right-wing government headed by Giorgia Meloni, after the Fratelli d’Italia (Melloni) party, and the League party, led by Matteo Salvini, famous for its hostility to immigrants.
Taiani, 69, is a politician, journalist, and former officer in the Italian Air Force. He has held the position of Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and Minister of Foreign Affairs since October 22, 2022. He also served as President of the European Parliament from 2017 to 2019, European Commissioner from 2008 to 2014, and a member of Parliament. European from 1994 to 2008 and again from 2014 to 2022 until his election to the Chamber of Deputies of Italy.