Claudio Scajola

Scajola was born in Imperia. A long-time member of Christian Democracy, he was mayor of Imperia during a short period in the 1980s and from 1990 to 1995, as his father and his brother had been. When Christian Democracy disbanded, he joined Forza Italia in 1995. He was then elected deputy in 1996 and was national coordinator of the party from 1996 to 2001 and again in 2003. He also led a faction named after him, the Scajoliani. He was the Italian Minister of the Interior from 2001 to 2002 and later the Italian Minister of Productive Activities in the third cabinet of Silvio Berlusconi. In this capacity, Scajola was a strong advocate for the Italian re-entry into commercial use of nuclear power for the generation of electricity.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}

Scajola has been nicknamed "SkyOla" because allegedly has been using Alitalia airplanes for private use. An air route was created from Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport to Villanova d'Albenga International Airport, which he uses regularly for traveling from and to his parliamentary job; it is rarely used by other passengers.Sergio Rizzo, [http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2010/maggio/05/doppie_dimissioni_del_ministro_sangue_co_9_100505011.shtml Le doppie dimissioni del ministro di sangue dc], "Corriere della sera", 10 May 2010. This scandal was exposed in 2008 by the RAI television program AnnoZero.

In April 2010, Italian newspapers wrote that Scajola, back in July 2004, had used €1,100,000 in slush funds to buy a flat in Rome near the Colosseum. At least €900,000 of those funds where reportedly traced as coming from Diego Anemone, a real estate developer under accusation of public servants bribing.[http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2010/04/30/news/carte_scajola-3716561/ "Scajola, le carte che accusano"], La Repubblica, 30 April 2010[http://www.corriere.it/politica/10_aprile_30/ministro_appartamento_testimoni_aa3b3bc0-541b-11df-a5b5-00144f02aabe.shtml "Scajola, le nuove accuse"], Corriere della Sera, 30 April 2010 During a press conference, he defended himself saying that the house had been paid without his knowledge.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinquecosebelle.it/cinque-indimenticabili-famose-gaffe-dei-politici-italiani/|website=Cinquecosebelle.it|language=it|access-date=23 June 2018|title=Cinque indimenticabili e famose gaffe dei politici italiani|date=20 January 2014 }} These justifications were not deemed sufficient by public opinion and Scajola resigned from office in May 2010.

At the 2018 Italian local elections, Scajola was elected mayor of Imperia, 23 years after his last mayoral experience.

On 8 May 2014, Scajola was arrested for aiding the escape of Amedeo Matacena, a former member of the Italian Parliament who was convicted of criminal involvement with the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, and remained in police custody.{{cite news|title=Scajola arrestato dalla Dia: "Ha favorito la latitanza dell'ex deputato Matacena"|url=http://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2014/05/08/news/arrestato_scajola-85533400|access-date=8 May 2014|newspaper=La Repubblica|date=8 May 2014}}

In June 2002, Scajola told journalists in Cyprus that "Marco Biagi was only a jerk, only thinking about the renewal of his contract". Biagi was killed by terrorists in March 2002 and Scajola was the Italian Minister of the Interior. Scajola had to resign because of this sentence on 4 July 2002. Despite this, Berlusconi continued to support him.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.claudioscajola.it Official website] (in Italian)
• Files about his parliamentary activities (in Italian): [http://leg13.camera.it/cartellecomuni/leg13/Deputati/scheda_deputato/scheda.asp?id=d00537 XIII], [http://legxiv.camera.it/organiparlamentari/assemblea/contenitore_dati.asp?tipopagina=&deputato=d50150&source=%2Fdeputatism%2F240%2Fdocumentoxml%2Easp&position=Deputati\La%20Scheda%20Personale&Pagina=Deputati/Composizione/01.camera/nuovacomposizione/datpersonali2.asp%3Fdeputato=d50150 XIV], [http://legxv.camera.it/cartellecomuni/leg15/include/contenitore_dati.asp?tipopagina=&deputato=d50150&source=%2Fdeputatism%2F240%2Fdocumentoxml%2Easp&position=Deputati\La%20Scheda%20Personale&Pagina=Deputati/Composizione/SchedeDeputati/SchedeDeputati.asp%3Fdeputato=d50150 XV], [http://leg16.camera.it/29?shadow_deputato=50150&idpersona=50150 XVI] legislatures
• {{Commons-inline}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Deputy|years= 1996–2013
Legislatures: XIII, XIV, XV, XVI}}

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{{S-bef|before=Enzo Bianco}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister of the Interior|years=2001–2002}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Minister for the Implementation of the Government Program|years=2003–2005}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Productive Activities|years=2005–2006}}

{{S-aft|after=Pier Luigi Bersani|as=Minister of Economic Development}}

{{S-bef|before=Enzo Bianco}}

{{s-ttl|title=President of COPACO|years=2006–2008}}

{{S-aft|after=Francesco Rutelli}}

{{S-bef|before=Pier Luigi Bersani}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Economic Development|years=2008–2010}}

{{S-aft|after=Paolo Romani}}

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{{S-bef|before=Cesare Previti}}

{{s-ttl|title=National Coordinator of Forza Italia|years=1996–2001}}

{{S-aft|after=Roberto Antonione}}

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{{s-ttl|title=National Coordinator of Forza Italia|years=2003}}

{{S-aft|after=Sandro Bondi}}

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Category:1948 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Imperia

Category:Forza Italia politicians

Category:Ministers of the interior of Italy

Category:Mayors of places in Liguria

Category:Presidents of the Province of Imperia