Berlusconi II Cabinet

Berlusconi II Cabinet
57th Cabinet of Italy
Date formed	11 June 2001 (2001-06-11)
Date dissolved	23 April 2005 (2005-04-23) (1,413 days)
People and organisations
Head of state	Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
Head of government	Silvio Berlusconi
No. of ministers	25 (incl. Prime Minister)
Total no. of members	30 (incl. Prime Minister)
Member parties	FI, AN, LN CCD, CDU
Status in legislature	Centre-right coalition
Opposition parties	DS, DL, PRC, UDEUR, SDI, FdV, PdCI
History
Election(s)	2001 election
Legislature term(s)	XIV Legislature (2001 – 2006)
Incoming formation	Berlusconi II Cabinet formation, 2001
Outgoing formation	Berlusconi III Cabinet formation, 2005
Predecessor	Amato II Cabinet
Successor	Berlusconi III Cabinet

The Berlusconi II Cabinet was the 57th cabinet of the Italian Republic and the first cabinet of the XIV Legislature. It took office following the 2001 elections, and held office from 11 June 2001 until 23 April 2005, a total of 1,412 days, or 3 years, 10 months and 12 days. It held office for the longest period in the history of the Republic, and for the second longest period in the history of unified Italy since 1861 (outlasted only by the Mussolini government). During its long tenure, its composition changed significantly. Following the poor performance of the centrist parties in the Italian regional elections of 2005, most of the ministers of the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats and the New PSI resigned from the government, which was succeeded by the Berlusconi III Cabinet.

Formation[]

In 2001 Berlusconi again ran as leader of the centre-right coalition House of Freedoms (Italian: La Casa delle Libertà), which included the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats, the Northern League, the National Alliance and other minor parties. Berlusconi's success in the May 2001 general election led to him becoming Prime Minister once more, with the coalition receiving 45.4% of the vote for the Chamber of Deputies and 42.5% for the Senate.

On the television interviews programme Porta a Porta, during the last days of the electoral campaign, Berlusconi created a powerful impression on the public by undertaking to sign a so-called Contratto con gli Italiani (English: Contract with the Italians), an idea copied outright by his advisor Luigi Crespi from the Newt Gingrich's Contract with America introduced six weeks before the 1994 US Congressional election,^[1] which was widely considered to be a creative masterstroke in his 2001 campaign bid for prime ministership. In this solemn agreement, Berlusconi claimed his commitment on improving several aspects of the Italian economy and life. Firstly, he undertook to simplify the complex tax system by introducing just two tax rates (33% for those earning over 100,000 euros, and 23% for anyone earning less than that figure: anyone earning less than 11,000 euros a year would not be taxed); secondly, he promised to halve the unemployment rate; thirdly, he undertook to finance and develop a massive new public works programme. Fourthly, he promised to raise the minimum monthly pension rate to 516 euros; and fifthly, he would suppress the crime wave by introducing police officers to patrol all local zones and areas in Italy's major cities.^[2] Berlusconi undertook to refrain from putting himself up for re-election in 2006 if he failed to honour at least four of these five promises.

The government obtained the confidence of the senate on 20 June 2001 with 175 votes in favour, 133 against and 5 abstentions,^[3][4] and the confidence of the Chamber of Deputies on 21 June 2001 with 351 votes in favour, 261 against and 1 abstention.^[5]

The opposition parties claim Berlusconi was not able to achieve the goals he promised in his Contratto con gli Italiani. Some of his partners in government, especially the National Alliance and the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats have admitted the Government fell short of the promises made in the agreement, attributing the failure to an unforeseeable downturn in global economic conditions. Berlusconi himself has consistently asserted that he achieved all the goals of the agreement, and said his Government provided un miracolo continuo (a continuous miracle) that made all 'earlier governments pale' (by comparison). He attributed the widespread failure to recognize these achievements to a campaign of mystification and vilification in the printed media, asserting that 85% of newspapers were opposed to him.^[6] , an independent analyst, held that Berlusconi had managed to maintain only one promise out of five, the one concerning minimum pension levels. The other four promises were not, in Luca Ricolfi’s view, honoured. In particular, the undertakings on the tax simplification and the reduction of crime.^[7]

Fall[]

The House of Freedoms did not do as well in the 2003 local elections as it did in the 2001 national elections. In common with many other European governing groups, in the 2004 elections of the European Parliament, gaining 43.37% support. Forza Italia's support was also reduced from 29.5% to 21.0% (in the 1999 European elections Forza Italia had 25.2%). As an outcome of these results the other coalition parties, whose electoral results were more satisfactory, asked Berlusconi and Forza Italia for greater influence in the government's political line.

In the 2005 regional elections (3 April/4 April 2005), the centre-left gubernatorial candidates won in 12 out of 14 regions where control of local governments and governorships was at stake. Berlusconi's coalition kept only two of the regional bodies (Lombardy and Veneto) up for re-election. Three parties, Union of Christian and Centre Democrats, National Alliance and New PSI, threatened to withdraw from the Berlusconi government. The Italian Premier, after some hesitation, then presented to the President of the Republic a request for the dissolution of his government on 20 April 2005.

Party breakdown[]

Beginning of term[]

Ministers[]

Ministers and other members[]

• Forza Italia (FI): Prime minister, 12 ministers, 29 undersecretaries
• National Alliance (AN): Deputy Prime minister, 4 ministers, 14 undersecretaries
• Northern League (LN): 3 ministers, 6 undersecretaries
• Christian Democratic Centre (CCD): 1 minister, 4 undersecretaries
• United Christian Democrats (CDU): 1 minister, 2 undersecretaries
• Independents: 2 ministers, 2 undersecretaries
• New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI): 1 undersecretary
• Italian Republican Party (PRI): 1 undersecretary

End of term[]

Ministers[]

Ministers and other members[]

• Forza Italia (FI): Prime minister, 10 ministers, 3 deputy ministers, 31 undersecretaries
• National Alliance (AN): 5 ministers (incl. 1 Deputy Prime minister), 3 deputy ministers, 12 undersecretaries
• Northern League (LN): 3 ministers, 7 undersecretaries
• Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (UDC): 1 Deputy Prime minister, 3 ministers, 1 deputy minister, 6 undersecretaries
• Independents: 2 ministers, 1 undersecretary
• New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI): 1 deputy minister, 1 undersecretary
• Italian Republican Party (PRI): 1 deputy minister

Composition[]

Portrait	Office	Name	Term	Party		Deputy Ministers Undersecretaries
	Prime Minister	Silvio Berlusconi	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia	Undersecretaries: Gianni Letta (Ind.) Paolo Bonaiuti (FI)
	Deputy Prime Minister[a]	Gianfranco Fini	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		National Alliance
	Deputy Prime Minister	Marco Follini	3 December 2004 – 18 April 2005		Union of Christian and Centre Democrats
	Minister of Foreign Affairs	Renato Ruggiero	11 June 2001 – 6 January 2002		Independent	Undersecretaries: (FI) Margherita Boniver (FI) Alfredo Mantica (AN) Mario Baccini (UDC)[b] (until 2 Dec. 2004) (FI) (since 30 Dec. 2004)
		Silvio Berlusconi (ad interim)	6 January 2002 – 14 November 2002		Forza Italia
		Franco Frattini	14 November 2002 – 18 November 2004		Forza Italia
		Gianfranco Fini	18 November 2004 – 23 April 2005		National Alliance
	Minister of the Interior	Claudio Scajola	11 June 2001 – 3 July 2002		Forza Italia	Undersecretaries: (LN) (FI) (AN) Carlo Taormina (FI) (until 5 Dec. 2001) (FI) (since 30 Dec. 2004)
		Giuseppe Pisanu	3 July 2002 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia
	Minister of Justice	Roberto Castelli	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Northern League	Undersecretaries: Jole Santelli (FI) (AN) Michele Vietti (UDC)[b] (FI) (since 30 Dec. 2004)
	Minister of Economy and Finance[8]	Giulio Tremonti	11 June 2001 – 3 July 2004		Forza Italia	Deputy Ministers: Mario Baldassarri (AN) (since 19 Oct. 2001) Gianfranco Micciché (FI) (since 19 Oct. 2001) Undersecretaries: (FI) (AN) (LN) Giuseppe Vegas (FI) Mario Baldassarri (AN) (until 19 Oct. 2001) Gianfranco Micciché (FI) (until 19 Oct. 2001) (Ind.) (until 17 July 2003) (UDC) (since 4 Feb. 2003)
		Silvio Berlusconi (ad interim)	3 July 2004 – 16 July 2004		Forza Italia
		Domenico Siniscalco	16 July 2004 – 23 April 2005		Independent
	Minister of Productive Activities	Antonio Marzano	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia	Deputy Ministers: Adolfo Urso (AN) (since 19 Oct. 2001) Undersecretaries: (FI) (UDC)[b] (FI) Adolfo Urso (AN) (until 19 Oct. 2001) Stefano Stefani (LN) (until 17 July 2003) Roberto Cota (LN) (since 30 Dec. 2004)
	Minister of Education, University and Research	Letizia Moratti	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia	Deputy Ministers: (FI) (since 19 Oct. 2001) Stefano Caldoro (NPSI) (since 14 Jan. 2005) Undersecretaries: (FI) (AN) (FI) (until 19 Oct. 2001) Stefano Caldoro (NPSI) (since 14 Jan. 2005)
	Minister of Labour and Social Security	Roberto Maroni	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Northern League	Undersecretaries: (LN) Maurizio Sacconi (FI) (FI) Pasquale Viespoli (AN) (FI) (since 30 Dec. 2004)
	Minister of Defense	Antonio Martino	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia	Undersecretaries: (AN) Francesco Bosi (UDC)[b] (FI) Giuseppe Drago (UDC) (since 30 Dec. 2004)
	Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies	Gianni Alemanno	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		National Alliance	Undersecretaries: (UDC)[c] Gianpaolo Dozzo (LN) (FI)
	Minister of the Environment	Altero Matteoli	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		National Alliance	Deputy Ministers: Francesco Nucara (PRI) (since 30 Dec. 2004) Undersecretaries: (FI) Francesco Nucara (PRI) (until 30 Dec. 2004) (FI) (until 30 Dec. 2004) Stefano Stefani (LN) (since 30 Dec. 2004)
	Minister of Infrastructure and Transport	Pietro Lunardi	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia	Deputy Ministers: Ugo Martinat (AN) (since 19 Oct. 2001) Mario Tassone (UDC)[c] (since 19 Oct. 2001) Undersecretaries: (FI) (AN) (FI) Giancarlo Giorgetti (LN) (until 21 June 2001) Ugo Martinat (AN) (until 19 Oct. 2001) Mario Tassone (UDC) (until 19 Oct. 2001) (FI) (since 7 March 2003) Silvano Moffa (AN) (since 30 Dec. 2004) (NPSI) (since 30 Dec. 2004)
	Minister of Health	Girolamo Sirchia	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Independent	Undersecretaries: (AN) Antonio Guidi (FI) Elisabetta Casellati (FI) (since 30 Dec. 2004) Rocco Salini (FI) (since 11 March 2005)
	Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities	Giuliano Urbani	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia	Deputy Ministers: (FI) (since 14 January 2005) Undersecretaries: (AN) Mario Pescante (FI) Vittorio Sgarbi (FI) (until 25 June 2002)
	Minister of Communications	Maurizio Gasparri	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		National Alliance	Undersecretaries: (FI) (FI)
	Minister of Regional Affairs (without portfolio)	Enrico La Loggia	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia	Undersecretaries: (FI)
	Minister for the Implementation of the Government Program (without portfolio)	Giuseppe Pisanu	11 June 2001 – 3 July 2002		Forza Italia
		Claudio Scajola	28 August 2003 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia
	Minister of Public Function (without portfolio)	Franco Frattini[d]	11 June 2001 – 14 November 2002		Forza Italia	Undersecretaries: (AN)
		Luigi Mazzella	14 November 2002 – 3 December 2004		Independent
		Mario Baccini	3 December 2004 – 23 April 2005		Union of Christian and Centre Democrats
	Minister for Innovation and Technologies (without portfolio)	Lucio Stanca	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia
	Minister of Italians in the World (without portfolio)	Mirko Tremaglia	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		National Alliance
	Minister for Equal Opportunities (without portfolio)	Stefania Prestigiacomo	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Forza Italia
	Minister of Community Affairs (without portfolio)	Rocco Buttiglione	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Union of Christian and Centre Democrats before 6 December 2002: United Christian Democrats
	Minister for Institutional Reforms and Devolution (without portfolio)	Umberto Bossi	11 June 2001 – 16 July 2004		Northern League	Undersecretaries: Aldo Brancher (FI) Gian Paolo Gobbo (LN) (since 30 Dec. 2004)
		Roberto Calderoli	16 July 2004 – 23 April 2005		Northern League
	Minister for Parliamentary Relations (without portfolio)	Carlo Giovanardi	11 June 2001 – 23 April 2005		Union of Christian and Centre Democrats before 6 December 2002: Christian Democratic Centre	Undersecretaries: (FI)

Further reading[]

• Donovan, Mark (2004). The Governance of the Centre-Right Coalition. Italy Between Europeanization and Domestic Politics. Italian Politics. Vol. 19. Berghahn. pp. 80–98.

References[]

• Italian Government - Berlusconi II Cabinet