Piero Fassino, 70, is a member of the Chamber of Deputies. Elected for the first time in 1994, re-elected in all the following legislatures until 2011 - when he became mayor of Turin (2011-2016) - and elected again to Parliament in 2018. Currently President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, President of Monitoring Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe and Vice-President of the Political Commission. President of the Italy-France friendship section of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Under-Secretary of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1996-1998 in the PM Prodi government) and, in the same period, Under-Secretary for European Union Policies to the Prime Minister; Minister of Foreign Trade (1998-2000 in the PM D'Alema government); Minister of Justice (2000-2001 in the PM Amato government). Member of the National Secretariat of the PCI since 1987, he was one of the young leaders led by Achille Occhetto who achieved the transition from PCI to PDS (1989-1991). From 1991 to 1996 he held the role of International Secretary of the PDS, leading it in the joining to the Socialist International and in the foundation of the European Socialist Party. From 2001 to 2007 Leader of the Left Democrats (DS), the main Italian party of the Progressive Front. In 2007 he was among the founders of the Democratic Party (PD), born from the merger between the DS party and other center-left political groups. He is currently a member of PD Directorate and the Presidency of the PSE. From 2007 to 2011 he was European Union Special Envoy for Burma. From 2011 to 2016 he was Mayor of Turin and from 2013 to 2016 President of the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI). From 2016 to March 2020 President of the Socialist Group and spokesman for the Mediterranean at the Congress of Local Authorities of the Council of Europe. During his institutional and political roles he has increased an extensive knowledge of the issues of the EU, the Balkans, the Mediterranean area and the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America. In 2010 he was given the America Award by the Italy-USA Foundation. In 2013 President Hollande awarded him the Legion d'Honneur. Author of several books and publications, he is member of the Steering Committee of the Italian section of the European Movement. |