Forza Italia elects Antonio Tajani as acting party president after Berlusconi’s death

July 15 () –

The Forza Italia party has chosen this Saturday its number two, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, as acting leader a month after the death of its co-founder and former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Tajani will serve in his current role until the next party congress, in 2024. Notably, before the vote, delegates accepted Tajani’s proposal to change the party chairman’s title from “president” to “national secretary.”

“It is no longer possible to have a president for our movement. Because for us there is only one president,” Tajani declared, referring to the late Berlusconi. However, he expressed his confidence in the future of the party: “We want to be the center, the cornerstone of the Italian political system.”

Tajani now faces the task of leading the party until the party congress before the 2024 European elections and saving it from possible disintegration.

“It is not easy to lead a political movement that has Silvio Berlusconi as its leader for almost 30 years,” Tajani declared during his acceptance speech at the end of the party congress.

“I can only guarantee my commitment, my determination and my willingness to turn all your dreams into reality. For this I will need all of you, all of our ruling class, the elected officials, the sympathizers, the militants,” Tajani said in comments collected by ‘La Stampa’.

Despite poor health and advanced age, Berlusconi had refused to make arrangements for his succession to the party leadership before he died a month ago. Forza Italia is the third most prominent force in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing ruling coalition since October 2022.