Italian President Sergio Mattarella in call to fight mafia and corruption
Source: Euro News
03/02 11:10 CET
Sergio Mattarella was greeted with warm applause ahead of his swearing in as the new Italian President. The election of the 73-year-old is seen as victory for Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.
Born into a Sicilian family the President started out on a political career after his brother was shot dead by the mafia.
“The fight against the mafia and corruption are absolute priorities. Corruption has reached a level which is not acceptable. It uses up resources which could be used for our people,” he said.
<snip>
“Wars, attacks, political, ethical and religious persecutions, miseries and famines generate huge masses of refugees. It is a serious and painful humanitarian catastrophe which is now an urgent priority. Europe must show more attention to this problem, must engage with it and show solidarity.”
Read more: http://www.euronews.com/2015/02/03/italian-president-sergio-mattarella-in-call-to-fight-mafia-and-corruption/
Sergio Mattarella Profile from the BBC:
Sergio Mattarella, a constitutional court judge and veteran centre-left politician, was chosen as president by members of parliament in January 2015.
He succeeds Giorgio Napolitano, who stepped down due to old age.
Mr Mattarella was the candidate proposed by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi but was opposed by the centre-right party of Silvio Berlusconi.
He was little known among the general public but is a respected figure in political circles after a 25-year parliamentary career and several stints as minister in governments of the left and right.
He entered politics after his elder brother, who was president of the region of Sicily, was murdered by the Mafia 1980.
The Italian president is a largely ceremonial figure, but he wields important powers at times of political instability, a frequent scourge in Italy, when he can dissolve parliament, call elections and pick prime ministers.
Link: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17433144