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'{{short description|Italian politician from Varese, Lombardy|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Attilio Fontana |image = Attilio Fontana 2019.jpg |caption = Attilio Fontana, 2019 |office = [[President of Lombardy]] |vicepresident = [[Letizia Moratti]] |term_start = 26 March 2018 |term_end = |predecessor = [[Roberto Maroni]] |successor = |office2 = [[List of mayors of Varese|Mayor of Varese]] |term_start2 = 29 May 2006 |term_end2 = 21 June 2016 |predecessor2 = [[Aldo Fumagalli]] |successor2 = [[Davide Galimberti]] |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|3|28|df=y}} |birth_place = [[Varese]], [[Italy]] |death_date = |death_place = |spouse = Laura Castelli (div.)<br />Roberta Dini |children = 3 |nationality = Italian |party = [[Lega Nord]] |alma_mater = [[University of Milan]] |profession = Lawyer }} '''Attilio Fontana''' (born 28 March 1952) is an Italian politician from [[Varese]], [[Lombardy]]. He has served as [[President of Lombardy]] since 2018 leading a coalition of [[Centre-right coalition|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comune.varese.it/si4web/common/AmvSezione.do?MVPD%3D0%26MVSZ%3D177 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-03-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311130417/http://www.comune.varese.it/si4web/common/AmvSezione.do?MVPD=0&MVSZ=177 |archive-date=2014-03-11 }}</ref> Fontana, with LN, was elected in the [[2000 Lombard regional election|2000 regional election]] and [[2000 Lombard regional election|2005 regional election]] to the [[Regional Council of Lombardy]], of which he functioned as [[List of Presidents of the Regional Council of Lombardy|President]] until July 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.consiglio.regione.lombardia.it/web/crl/Istituzione/UfficioPresidenza/PresidentiUdP |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-07-22 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722222747/http://www.consiglio.regione.lombardia.it/web/crl/Istituzione/UfficioPresidenza/PresidentiUdP |archive-date=2012-07-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ====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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elezionistorico.interno.it/index.php?tpel=G&dtel=28/05/2006&tpa=I&tpe=C&lev0=0&levsut0=0&lev1=3&levsut1=1&lev2=86&levsut2=2&lev3=1160&levsut3=3&ne1=3&ne2=86&ne3=861160&es0=S&es1=S&es2=S&es3=N&ms=S|title=Dipartimento per gli Affari Interni e Territoriali|website=elezionistorico.interno.it}}</ref> He was re-elected in May 2011 with 53.8% of the vote in a run-off.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elezionistorico.interno.it/index.php?tpel=G&dtel=15/05/2011&tpa=I&tpe=C&lev0=0&levsut0=0&lev1=3&levsut1=1&lev2=86&levsut2=2&lev3=1160&levsut3=3&ne1=3&ne2=86&ne3=861160&es0=S&es1=S&es2=S&es3=N&ms=S|title=Dipartimento per gli Affari Interni e Territoriali|website=elezionistorico.interno.it}}</ref> Fontana, ineligible to run for reelection due to term limits,<ref>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)''</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://napoli.repubblica.it/dettaglio-news/varese-22:04/2663546|title=MICHELE SANTORO CONDANNATO A VARESE PER DIFFAMAZIONE - Napoli la Repubblica.it|website=napoli.repubblica.it}}</ref> ===2018 presidential election=== ====Speculation==== Some journalists in July 2016 speculated a nomination of Fontana as LN candidate in [[2018 Lombard regional election|2018 election]] for [[President of Lombardy]] if the [[incumbent]] ''Governor'' (President of Region) [[Roberto Maroni]] – who was elected in [[2013 Lombard regional election|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 [[Centre-right coalition#2013 general election|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 [[Forza Italia (2013)|FI]], [[Lega Nord|LN]], [[Brothers of Italy|FdI]], [[Energies for Italy|EpL]], [[Us with Italy|NcI]] and his [[Civic List (Italy)|civic personal list]] named "Fontana List" composed by members of [[Pensioners' Party (Italy)|PP]], [[Christian Revolution|RC]], [[National Movement for Sovereignty|MNS]] and also by civic, independent and non-partisans members) candidate to the Presidency of Lombardy. For the media, his experience as Mayor and [[Matteo Salvini|Salvini]]'s popularity are among the strengths of his candidacy. ====General Election==== {{see also|Lombard regional election, 2018}} On 15 January 2018,<ref name=white/> Fontana stated that the [[Western culture]] was in danger<ref name=white/> due to the [[European migration crisis|migration flows]] from Africa.<ref name=white>{{cite web|url=http://www.ansa.it/english/news/politics/2018/01/15/white-race-at-risk-fontana-on-migrants-2_f044a79f-dc1e-43fa-aa42-d69c42f2e5cb.html|title=White race at risk - Fontana on migrants (2) - English|date=15 January 2018}}</ref> This created many protests as well as criticisms from the centre-left [[Democratic Party (Italy)|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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ansa.it/lombardia/notizie/2018/01/15/fontana-razza-bianca-a-rischio-per-i-migranti_bcda489a-d3fe-49d7-84f8-e20ac2c338ef.html|title=Attilio Fontana si scusa per la 'razza bianca' - Lombardia|date=15 January 2018}}</ref> 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 [[Lombard regional election, 2018|regional election]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.corriere.it/elezioni-2018/risultati-regionali/lombardia.shtml|title=Lombardia Risultati Regionali 2018}}</ref> and Fontana sworn in office as ''Governor'' on 26 March. ==Presidency (2018{{ndash}}present)== In October 2018, as Lombardy President Fontana blocked a Muslim association from turning a former hospital chapel into a mosque.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-mosque/italys-league-blocks-muslims-from-buying-and-converting-chapel-idUSKCN1N20LJ?fbclid=IwAR21SpiqraaZgbfDI0mW9QqHBquK8y9V0OQGoljyxss9M-svYzECefHXjoQ</ref> ===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,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://milano.corriere.it/notizie/politica/19_maggio_08/tangenti-lombardia-fontana-indagato-abuso-d-ufficio-53d46370-7116-11e9-90e5-1aa1d5fb0bf8.shtml|title = Tangenti in Lombardia, il governatore Fontana indagato per abuso d'ufficio|date = 5 August 2019}}</ref> but in March 2020 all the accusation falls and the case is definitively closed<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.msn.com/it-it/notizie/milano/abuso-ufficio-di-fontana-gip-archivia/ar-BB11NVxK/ |title=Abuso ufficio di Fontana, gip archivia |website=www.msn.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611134550/https://www.msn.com/it-it/notizie/milano/abuso-ufficio-di-fontana-gip-archivia/ar-BB11NVxK/ |archive-date=2020-06-11}} </ref> as the appointment in question did not constitute a crime.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.ilpost.it/2020/03/27/attilio-fontana-abuso-ufficio-archiviazione/| title = È stata archiviata l'indagine su Attilio Fontana per abuso d'ufficio - Il Post| date = 27 March 2020}}</ref> ===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]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://milano.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/07/24/news/fontana_indagato_camici-262818924/|title=Attilio Fontana indagato nell'inchiesta sulla fornitura di camici|date=24 July 2020}}</ref> 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== {{Reflist}} {{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Aldo Fumagalli]] ([[Lega Nord|LN]])}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Mayor of Varese]]|years=2006–2016}} {{s-aft|after=[[Davide Galimberti]] ([[Democratic Party (Italy)|PD]])}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Roberto Maroni]] ([[Lega Nord|LN]])}} {{s-ttl|title=[[President of Lombardy]]|years=2018–present}} {{s-aft|after=[[Incumbent]]}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=[[Roberto Maroni]] ([[Lega Nord|LN]]) <br />[[2013 Lombard regional election|2013]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Centre-right coalition]] <br />nominee for [[President of Lombardy]]|years='''[[2018 Lombard regional election|2018]]'''}} {{s-aft|after=[[Most recent]] ([[party]]) <br />[[2023 Lombard regional election|2023]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Aldo Fumagalli]] ([[Lega Nord|LN]]) <br />[[2002 Varese municipal election|2002]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Centre-right coalition]] <br />nominee for [[Mayor of Varese]]|years='''[[2006 Varese municipal election|2006]] and [[2011 Varese municipal election|2011]]'''}} {{s-aft|after=[[Paolo Orrigoni]] ([[Forza Italia (2013)|FI]]) <br />[[2016 Varese municipal election|2016]]}} {{s-end}} {{ItalyRegionPresidents}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Fontana, Attilio}} [[Category:1952 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Lega Nord politicians]] [[Category:Presidents of the regional council of Lombardy]] [[Category:Mayors of Varese]] [[Category:People from Varese]] [[Category:Presidents of Lombardy]]'