One vice PM, Gianfranco Fini, and 23 ministers compose Berlusconis new government. It includes all the leaders of the parties of the centre-right coalition, i.e. Fini, Umberto Bossi, and Rocco Buttiglione, while Pierferdinando Casini, secretary general of CCD, is not in it but has been appointed chair of the Chamber of Deputies. The team is very different from the one Berlusconi assembled in 1994.
The scarce presence of women remains a constant: then Adriana Poli Bortone, Minister of Agriculture, was alone; now there are former RAI president Letizia Moratti, Minister of Education, and Sicilian entrepreneur Stefania Prestigiacomo, Minister of Equal Opportunities, whos the youngest minister at 36 and will have a child within a few weeks.
Some 1994 ministers have been confirmed in this rerun: first and foremost is Gianni Letta, undersecretary of State for the Prime Ministers Office. A close collaborator and advisor of Berlusconis, this former editor in chief of Il Tempo will play a key role in the cabinet. Giulio Tremonti will again be in charge of the economy, but his ministry will receive ampler power and competence.
Economist Antonio Martino was Foreign Minister in the first Berlusconi cabinet, and will now assume responsibility for the Defence, with the blessing of the U.S. government. Altero Matteoli, belonging to AN, will once again become minister of Environment; Professor Giuliano Urbani, considered a moderate in Forza Italia, who seven years ago held the post of minister of Institutional Reforms, will now go to Cultural Heritage, after the post was turned down by Giuliano Ferrara, editor in chief of Il Foglio.
A promotion was handed out to Franco Frattini, once an undersecretary and now minister of Civil Service with control over the secret services. Finally, theres Roberto Maroni, the worst headache for Berlusconi: the ex-minister of Interior. After suffering several vetoes in his run for the Ministry of Justice, he gets the Welfare post. Five "technical" ministers include Letizia Moratti and Renato Ruggiero, who brings to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the experience acquired in his prestigious career in international economy and finance. Transportation and Infrastructure fall under the domain of Pietro Lunardi.
Lucio Stance, minister of Technological Innovation, after a career in IBMs management, will have the task of transferring the Italian public administration onto the Internet. Girolamo Sirchia, 68, a pioneer of transplants and research on seminal cells, goes to the Ministry of Health.
The real nightmare was assigning the Ministry of Interior; this puzzle was solved only a few hours before handing in the list to President Ciampi. In the end, Berlusconi managed to find a solution that satisfied all his faithfuls: Claudio Scajola will run this delicate post. For Beppe Pisanu, former Forza Italia group leader in the Chamber of Deputies, a brand new assignment was created, as minister for the Enactment of the Programme.
Enrico La Loggia, group leader in the Senate, got Regional Affairs. Everything considered, Forza Italia gets nine ministers, Alleanza Nazionale gets five, Fini included, Lega Nord gets three, Biancofiore gets two, and five more are non-aligned "technical" ministers.