Giulia Bongiorno

Giulia Bongiorno (born 22 March 1966) is an Italian lawyer and politician who served as the Italian Minister of Public Administration from 1 June 2018 to 5 September 2019. A prominent criminal defense attorney, she has served in both houses of the Italian parliament: formerly a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2008 to 2013, she has served as a Senator of the Italian Republic since 15 March 2018.

Giulia Bongiorno
Minister of Public Administration
In office
1 June 2018 – 5 September 2019
Prime MinisterGiuseppe Conte
Preceded byMarianna Madia
Succeeded byFabiana Dadone
Member of the Senate
for Sicily
Assumed office
23 March 2018
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
for Lazio's 1st district
In office
28 April 2006 – 14 March 2013
Personal details
Born (1966-03-22) 22 March 1966
Palermo, Italy
Political partyNational Alliance (before 2009)
People of Freedom (2009–2010)
Future and Freedom (2010–2013)
Independent (2013–2018)
Northern League (2018–present)
EducationUniversity of Palermo

Background

A native of Sicily,[1] Bongiorno (a relative of Mike Bongiorno, the television host) studied at a Liceo classico, before matriculating to the University of Palermo, where she studied law.[2]

Law career

As a lawyer, she first rose to fame with her defence of Giulio Andreotti, the forty-first Prime Minister of Italy, during his Mafia association trials.[3][4][5] Bongiorno, then in her twenties, successfully defended the statesman in court over the next decade, through multiple appeals, finally culminating in a full acquittal before the Supreme Court of Cassation in 2004.[6][7] Her work in white-collar crime also brought her into contact with Sergio Cragnotti, the former head of Italian food company Cirio, whom she defended in a fraud case in 2008.[8]

She then went on to defend well-known clients, such as Ezio Greggio, Tiziano Ferro, and Simone Pianigiani, in tax-related criminal proceedings.[9] Bongiorno was also involved in cases with Clementina Forleo and Niccolò Ghedini;[10] as well as the acquittal of three Google executives, including David Drummond and George Reyes of defamation, in a case involving a video showing students bullying a handicapped boy.[11]

Her defense of Raffaele Sollecito, a college student, in the murder trial of Meredith Kercher resulted in the acquittal of her client;[12][13] the subsequent trials and acquittal of Sollecito's girlfriend, Amanda Knox, went on to become a cause célèbre in the United States.[14][15][16]

In the wake of the Costa Concordia disaster, she represented passengers suing the cruise line.[17]

Bongiorno is also known for her work in sports law, representing clients ranging from fencer Andrea Baldini, to footballers Cristiano Doni and Francesco Totti.[18]

Political career

First elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 2006 for the constituency of Lazio, Bongiorno left the lower house in 2013, having been re-elected in the snap election of 2008.[19] Originally a member of the National Alliance, upon its dissolution, she joined its successor, The People of Freedom, led by Silvio Berlusconi. After Berlusconi split with Gianfranco Fini in July 2010,[20] she left as well,[21] joining Fini's new Future and Freedom party, becoming a spokesperson for Future and Freedom,[22] and protesting against Berlusconi's scandals.[23]

After the general election in 2018, where she was elected Senator for Sicily among the ranks of the League,[24] she was seen a possible candidate for prime minister.[25]

Political positions

Bongiorno is a chief architect of the 2009 law criminalising stalking;[26] she has also denounced femicide.[27] In 2014, Bongiorno proposed that housewives should be paid for their work, in order to strengthen their economic independence and advance their social dignity.[26]

During her time in the lower house, Bongiorno shepherded a wiretapping bill through Parliament; the Italian Wikipedia protested by shutting down for a time. After punitive amendments were added, she disowned the bill entirely,[28] and it ultimately failed to pass. In 2017, she rejected another version of the bill, saying that it contained ambiguities of language and imposed a burden on judges.[29][30]

Minister of Public Administration

On 1 June 2018, Bongiorno became the Italian Minister of Public Administration.[31][32] With the fall of the cabinet during the 2019 Italian government crisis, and the subsequent establishment of the Conte II Cabinet, Bongiorno ceased to be minister in early September 2019.

Other work

Bongiorno and Michelle Hunziker established a nonprofit foundation in 2007, Doppia Difesa (Double Defense), to combat discrimination, violence, and abuse against women.[26] The foundation has, among other activities, begun public awareness campaigns (including with Swarovski[33]), participated in conferences, and has received awards. The effectiveness of the foundation's efforts have been questioned.[34]

Personal life

Bongiorno has a son, Ian.[6]

See also

References
  1. Follain, John (2011). A death in Italy: the definitive account of the Amanda Knox case (1st U.S. ed.). New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-1-250-02424-4. OCLC 780481524.
  2. Giovagnini, di Maria Laura (28 May 2013). "Giulia Bongiorno: "Quel sì ad Andreotti mi ha emancipato"". IoDonna (in Italian). Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  3. Donadio, Rachel (29 September 2008). "Details Only Add to Puzzle in Umbrian Murder Case". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  4. Giuffrida, Angela (10 May 2018). "Five Star and League move closer to forming Italian government". Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  5. Nadeau, Barbie Latza (2010). Angel face: the true story of student killer Amanda Knox. New York: Beast Books. ISBN 978-0-9842951-3-5. OCLC 526077004.
  6. Longrigg, Claire (1 March 2012). "The Woman Who Saved Amanda Knox". Marie Claire. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018.
  7. Krause-Jackson, Flavia (6 May 2013). "Andreotti, Ex-Italian Premier Linked to Mafia, Dies at 94". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 23 November 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  8. Sylvers, Eric (12 February 2004). "Ex-Chairman of Italian Food Producer Is Arrested". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 28 May 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  9. "Nel Governo Conte tre ministri siciliani: Bonafede, Bongiorno e Grillo". La Sicilia (in Italian). 31 May 2018. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  10. Rubino, Monica (20 March 2018). "Presidenze Camere, perché Giulia Bongiorno è una pillola amara per Berlusconi". la Repubblica (in Italian). Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  11. Willan, Phillip. "Italian court overturns Google executives' privacy convictions". PCWorld. Archived from the original on 26 January 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  12. Povoledo, Elsabetta (27 March 2015). "Amanda Knox Acquitted of 2007 Murder by Italy's Highest Court". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  13. Kirchgaessner, Stephanie (28 March 2015). "Sollecito's formidable advocate cements reputation for winning tough cases". The Observer. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  14. Thomas, Patricia (13 December 2009). "Jailed Amanda Knox tells AP that she's scared". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  15. Payne, Ed (2 July 2014). "Amanda Knox's ex says there are anomalies in the case – CNN". CNN. Archived from the original on 7 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  16. Bassiouni, M. Cherif (2016). "Two Hypothetical Prospective Extradition Cause Célèbre: The Snowden and Knox Cases". In Acconci, Pia; Cattin, David; Marchesi, Antonio; Palmisano, Giuseppe; Santori, Victoria (eds.). International law and the protection of humanity: essays in honor of Flavia Lattanzi. Leiden. pp. 297–305. ISBN 9789004269491. OCLC 956351381.
  17. Pianigiani, Gaia (26 January 2012). "Costa Concordia Captain Says He Was Ordered to Changed Course". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 17 February 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  18. Kington, Tom (21 November 2010). "Amanda Knox's appeal hopes rest on Italy's top female lawyer". The Observer. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  19. "Camera.it – XVI Legislatura – Deputati e Organi Parlamentari – Scheda deputato – BONGIORNO Giulia". leg16.camera.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 20 July 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  20. Pianigiani, Gaia; Donadio, Rachel (30 July 2010). "Berlusconi Splits With Ally, Fini, in Italy". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  21. Leavy, Ariel (6 June 2011). "Basta Bunga Bunga". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 5 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  22. "Berlusconi facing second key vote". BBC News. 14 December 2010. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  23. Donadio, Rachel; Povoledo, Elisabetta (13 February 2011). "Italian Women Take to Streets in Anger at Berlusconi". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  24. "Andreotti lawyer Bongiorno in League run (3) – English". ANSA.it. 18 January 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  25. Follain, John (10 May 2018). "Italy's Populists See Significant Step Toward New Government". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  26. Davies, Lizzy (7 March 2014). "Italian campaigners call for housewives to be paid a salary". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  27. Bandelli, Daniela (2017). Femicide, Gender and Violence: Discourses and Counterdiscourses in Italy (1st ed.). Springer International. ISBN 978-3-319-47785-5. OCLC 980287939.
  28. Day, Michael (7 October 2011). "Wikipedia closes in Italy after Silvio Berlusconi 'gagging' bid". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  29. AFP (6 November 2017). "Italy wiretaps bill could aid mafia and harm press freedom, critics say". The Local. Archived from the original on 6 November 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  30. The Economist. Economist Newspaper Limited. 2011. p. 65. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  31. Winfield, Nicole (2 June 2018). "Populists take helm of Italy's government". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  32. "Western Europe's first populist government sworn into power". CBS News. 1 June 2018. Archived from the original on 3 June 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  33. "Swarovski con Doppia Difesa al fianco delle donne". Il Messaggero (in Italian). 22 May 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  34. Oricchio, Giada (26 January 2018). ""Doppia Difesa" sotto accusa, l'indagine di Selvaggia Lucarelli imbarazza Hunziker e Bongiorno". Il Tempo (in Italian). Archived from the original on 9 June 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
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