Attilio Fontana
Attilio Fontana, 2019
President of Lombardy
Assumed office
26 March 2018
Vice PresidentLetizia Moratti
Preceded byRoberto Maroni
Mayor of Varese
In office
29 May 2006 – 20 June 2016
Preceded byAldo Fumagalli
Succeeded byDavide Galimberti
Personal details
Born (1952-03-28) 28 March 1952 (age 70)
Varese, Italy
NationalityItalian
Political partyLega Nord
Spouse(s)Laura Castelli (div.)
Roberta Dini
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Milan
ProfessionLawyer, Politician

Attilio Fontana (born 28 March 1952) is an Italian politician from Varese, Lombardy. A member of Lega Nord, he has served as President of Lombardy since 2018 in a coalition with centre-right parties.

Biography

Political career

A long-time member of Lega Lombarda and Lega Nord (LN), he was Mayor of Induno Olona from 1995 to 1999.[1] Fontana, with LN, was elected in the 2000 regional election and 2005 regional election to the Regional Council of Lombardy, of which he functioned as President until July 2006.[2]

Mayor of Varese

He stepped down from that office after being elected Mayor of Varese with 57.8% of the vote in the first round of 28 May 2006.[3] He was re-elected in May 2011 with 53.8% of the vote in a run-off.[4] Fontana, ineligible to run for reelection due to term limits,[5] left the office in June 2016. In 2007 Fontana was the lawyer of Andrea Mascetti in the case against the left-wing journalist and television host Michele Santoro from who they won: with this court case Fontana obtained notoriety at national level.[6]

2018 presidential election

Speculation

Some journalists in July 2016 speculated a nomination of Fontana as LN candidate in 2018 election for President of Lombardy if the incumbent Governor (President of Region) Roberto Maroni – who was elected in 2013 regional election for a five-year term with the support of Lega Lombarda and Lega Nord, the parties of Maroni and Fontana, and with the support of the others parties members of the 2013 center right coalition – will not run for a second consecutive (and final) term; in January 2018, when Maroni announced his retirement from politics, Fontana was selected as Centre-right (composed by FI, LN, FdI, EpL, NcI and his civic personal list named "Fontana List" composed by members of PP, RC, MNS and also by civic, independent and non-partisans members) candidate to the Presidency of Lombardy. For the media, his experience as Mayor and Salvini's popularity are among the strengths of his candidacy.

General Election

See also: Lombard regional election, 2018

On 15 January 2018,[7] Fontana stated that the Western culture was in danger[7] due to the migration flows from Africa.[7] This created many protests as well as criticisms from the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and the big tent anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S). Because of the controversy he apologised for his remarks, declaring that it was a slip of the tongue and an expressive error, not due to inherent racism of him or his party.[8] Fontana's principal rivals were Giorgio Gori (PD) and Dario Violi (M5S). On 4 March 2018 Fontana won 50% against Gori (29%) and Violi (17%) in the regional election[9] and Fontana sworn in office as Governor on 26 March.

Presidency (2018–present)

2019 Abuse of power

In May 2019 the Prosecutor Office of Milan started an investigation on Fontana due to abuse of power as President of Lombardy in a case of corruption,[10] but in March 2020 all the accusation falls and the case is definitively closed[11] as the appointment in question did not constitute a crime.[12]

Criticism for handling of COVID-19 pandemic

In July 2020 another investigation started, following the activities of Fontana, his wife and his brother in law during the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] Some journalists in September 2020 speculated a retirement of Fontana from politics in 2023, similar to Maroni's retirement in 2018, or an early election due to the media hype due to the "Covid investigation", but Matteo Salvini (the Federal Secretary of Lega) prevented the resignment of Fontana from the Presidency of Lombardy and an early election.

References

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-03-11. Retrieved 2014-03-11.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2012-07-22.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Dipartimento per gli Affari Interni e Territoriali". elezionistorico.interno.it.
  4. ^ "Dipartimento per gli Affari Interni e Territoriali". elezionistorico.interno.it.
  5. ^ After two consecutive terms, a Mayor (and a President of Region) is not re-eligible for a third consecutive term: for more news, see Italian electoral law of 1993 for Comuni (2004 for Region)
  6. ^ "MICHELE SANTORO CONDANNATO A VARESE PER DIFFAMAZIONE - Napoli la Repubblica.it". napoli.repubblica.it.
  7. ^ a b c "White race at risk - Fontana on migrants (2) - English". 15 January 2018.
  8. ^ "Attilio Fontana si scusa per la 'razza bianca' - Lombardia". 15 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Lombardia Risultati Regionali 2018".
  10. ^ "Tangenti in Lombardia, il governatore Fontana indagato per abuso d'ufficio". 5 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Abuso ufficio di Fontana, gip archivia". www.msn.com. Archived from the original on 2020-06-11.
  12. ^ "È stata archiviata l'indagine su Attilio Fontana per abuso d'ufficio - Il Post". 27 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Attilio Fontana indagato nell'inchiesta sulla fornitura di camici". 24 July 2020.
Political offices Preceded byAldo Fumagalli (LN) Mayor of Varese 2006–2016 Succeeded byDavide Galimberti (PD) Preceded byRoberto Maroni (LN) President of Lombardy 2018–present Succeeded byIncumbent Party political offices Preceded byRoberto Maroni (LN) 2013 Centre-right coalition nominee for President of Lombardy 2018 Succeeded byMost recent (party) 2023 Preceded byAldo Fumagalli (LN) 2002 Centre-right coalition nominee for Mayor of Varese 2006 and 2011 Succeeded byPaolo Orrigoni (FI) 2016
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