Marcello Pittella

Pittella was born in Lauria. He graduated at the University of Naples Federico II's Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. A member of the influential Pittella family,{{cite web |last=Santoro |first=Giuliano |date=8 March 2024 |title=Basilicata, Schlein e Conte trattano con Chiorazzo |url=https://ilmanifesto.it/basilicata-schlein-e-conte-trattano-con-chiorazzo |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Il manifesto |language=it}}{{cite web |last=Martino |first=Anna |date=19 March 2024 |title=Basilicata, il Pd non molla Chiorazzo: 'Bisogna continuare insieme' |url=https://napoli.repubblica.it/cronaca/2024/03/19/news/basilicata_il_pd_non_molla_chiorazzo_bisogna_continuare_insieme-422338092/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=La Repubblica |language=it}}{{cite web |last=Grimolizzi |first=Gennaro |date=19 March 2024 |title=La saga dei Pittellas. Dal socialismo lucano all'abbraccio con il centrodestra |url=https://www.ildubbio.news/politica/la-saga-dei-pittellas-dal-socialismo-lucano-allabbraccio-con-il-centrodestra-pu6aqes0 |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Il Dubbio |language=it}} his father Domenico and brother Gianni were also politicians, all of them being members of the Italian Socialist Party. Referred to as the Pittellas,{{cite web |last=Rizzini |first=Marianna |date=21 January 2016 |title=Da Strasburgo alla Basilicata, ecco l'epopea glocal dei Pittellas |url=https://www.ilfoglio.it/politica/2016/01/21/news/da-strasburgo-alla-basilicata-ecco-lepopea-glocal-dei-pittellas-91785/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Il Foglio |language=it}} they are considered a dynasty within the region,{{cite web |last=Arachi |first=Alessandra |date=15 March 2024 |title=Regionali in Basilicata, Pittella (Azione) fresco di assoluzione detta l'agenda a Pd e M5S: 'O seguono le nostre idee o andiamo avanti da soli' |url=https://www.corriere.it/politica/24_marzo_15/regionali-basilicata-pittella-azione-fresco-assoluzione-detta-l-agenda-pd-m5s-o-seguono-nostre-idee-o-andiamo-avanti-soli-8e32e266-e304-11ee-b2e2-af0c3ae1dff0.shtml |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Corriere della Sera |language=it}}{{cite web |last=Rossi |first=Cosimo |date=19 March 2024 |title=Pittella, una dynasty in Basilicata. Quei socialisti diventati calendiani: ma le elezioni fanno litigare i fratelli |url=https://www.quotidiano.net/politica/pittella-elezioni-basilicata-678d498b |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Quotidiano Nazionale |language=it}}{{cite web |last=Padellaro |first=Antonio |date=20 March 2024 |title=Ai nuovi mostri noi rispondiamo con i Pittellas |url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/in-edicola/articoli/2024/03/20/ai-nuovi-mostri-noi-rispondiamo-con-i-pittellas-franco-tiratore/7485160/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Il Fatto Quotidiano |language=it}} with Pittella compared to Jep Gambardella in The Great Beauty.{{cite web |last=Olivo |first=Federica |date=18 March 2024 |title=Sistema Pittella. Tutte le manovre di Marcello, il Jep Gambardella della sinistra lucana |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/politica/2024/03/18/news/pittella-15417425/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=HuffPost Italia |language=it}} In his youth, Pittella was involved in sports, particularly volleyball, and became a sports manager.{{cite web |date=2014 |title=II Presidente della Regione |url=http://www.presidente.regione.basilicata.it/presidente/detail.jsp?otype=1701&id=2964387 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190330170233/http://www.presidente.regione.basilicata.it/presidente/detail.jsp?otype=1701&id=2964387 |archive-date=30 March 2019 |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=Regione Basilicata }}

Pittella's first administrative commitment was as municipal councilor of Lauria was in 1993. He held the office of alderman for Productive Activities and Sports. Pittella then joined the Labour Federation, and in 1995 successfully ran as a councilor for the province of Potenza. After joining the Democrats of the Left, of which he was the regional leader, he was re-elected in 1999 and became president of the council. He was also the mayor of Lauria from 2001 to 2005. In the 2005 Basilicata regional election, Pittella was elected to the Basilicata Regional Council. He joined the Democratic Party in 2007 and was re-elected in the 2010 Basilicata regional election. Pittella joined the Basilicata's Regional Government in 2012 as assessor to productive activity. He was the vice-president from April 2013 to September 2013. In the 2013 Basilicata regional election, he succeeded Vito De Filippo, being elected president of Basilicata.{{cite web |date=2016 |title=Marcello Pittella |url=http://archive.partitodemocratico.it/utenti/profilo.htm?id=36087 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160304074723/http://archive.partitodemocratico.it/utenti/profilo.htm?id=36087 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=Partito Democratico |language=it}}{{Cite web |last=Forte |first=Elisa |date=20 March 2024 |title=Pittella contro Pittella, la dynasty dei Kennedy della Basilicata si spacca per le regionali |url=https://www.lastampa.it/politica/2024/03/20/news/basilicata_regionali_marcello_gianni_pittella-14159436/ |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=La Stampa |language=it}}

In January 2015, due to the illicit repayments obtained between 2009 and 2010, Pitella was condemned by the Court of Accounts of Potenza to "compensate the damage produced to the Basilicata Region" for the amount of €6,319.84.{{cite web |date=25 February 2015 |title=Rimborsopoli Basilicata Corte Conti condanna 22 politici: restituite soldi |url=https://www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it/news/home/630355/rimborsopoli-basilicata-corte-conti-condanna-22-politici-restituite-soldi.html |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno |language=it}}{{cite web |last=Giuliano |first=Franco |date=17 November 2016 |title=Corte dei Conti condanna Pittella, assolve De Filippo |url=https://www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it/news/home/827488/corte-dei-conti-condanna-pittella-assolve-de-filippo.html |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno |language=it}} On 6 July 2018, he ended up under house arrest as a result of an investigation by the Guardia di Finanza regarding rigged competitions and piloted appointments in the Lucanian health service; as a result, he was suspended from the office of president pending final judgment as result of the Severino Law.{{cite web |date=1 March 2024 |title=Marcello Pittella, l'ex presidente lucano assolto anche in Appello nel processo 'Sanitopoli' |url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2024/03/01/marcello-pittella-lex-presidente-lucano-assolto-anche-in-appello-nel-processo-sanitopoli/7465208/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240322165124/https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2024/03/01/marcello-pittella-lex-presidente-lucano-assolto-anche-in-appello-nel-processo-sanitopoli/7465208/ |archive-date=22 March 2024 |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Il Fatto Quotidiano |language=it}} On 24 September 2018, he was released but the Guardia di Finanza ordered the interdiction of residence in Potenza that was revoked by the preliminary hearing judge on 30 January 2019, following his resignation as president presented on 24 January 2019.{{cite web |date=24 January 2019 |title=Basilicata, Pittella (Pd) si dimette da presidente |url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/cronaca/2019/01/24/basilicata-pittella-si-e-dimesso_75402653-35a3-4e4f-b257-9dbdd48bb73b.html |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=Agenzia ANSA |language=it}}

In the 2019 Basilicata regional election, Pittella was a divisive figure within the centre-left coalition due to the 2018 investigation, and was replaced by Carlo Trerotola. Despite this, Pittella was re-elected regional councillor among the ranks of the civic list Forward Basilicata,{{cite web |date=25 March 2019 |title=L'ex Governatore Pittella il più votato: entra in Consiglio regionale all'opposizione |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/politica/2019/03/25/news/regionali_basilicata_l_ex_governatore_marcello_pittella_il_piu_votato_entra_in_consiglio-5257905/ |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=HuffPost Italia |language=it}} which garnered more votes than the Democratic Party,{{Cite web |date=25 March 2024 |title=Elezioni Basilicata, Bardi presidente con il 42%. Centrosinistra cade dopo 24 anni e perde la sesta Regione. M5s al 20% |url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2019/03/25/elezioni-basilicata-bardi-presidente-con-il-42-centrosinistra-cade-dopo-24-anni-m5s-al-20-fi-salvini-stacchi-la-spina/5060540/ |access-date=27 March 2024 |website=Il Fatto Quotidiano |language=it}}{{Cite web |last=Borghese |first=Salvatore |date=25 March 2019 |title=Il voto in Basilicata in 5 punti |url=https://www.youtrend.it/2019/03/25/elezioni-regionali-basilicata-risultati-analisi-5-punti/ |access-date=27 March 2024 |website=YouTrend |language=it}} with Pittella remaining the most voted politician.{{Cite web |date=25 March 2019 |title=Elezioni Basilicata, Pittella è il candidato più votato. Gli eletti del centrosinistra? Tutti 'suoi'. E due sono sotto inchiesta |url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2019/03/25/elezioni-basilicata-pittella-e-il-candidato-piu-votato-e-i-due-eletti-del-pd-sono-pittelliani-una-sola-donna-in-consiglio/5061112/ |access-date=27 March 2024 |website=Il Fatto Quotidiano |language=it}} On 22 December 2021, the Court of Matera acquitted him of all charges and rejected the request for three years in prison presented by the public prosecutor as part of what came to be known as the Sanitopoli lucana scandal, while seven managers of healthcare companies had instead been sentenced to sentences between two and five years. Pittella said: "These have been difficult, hard years. I was a front-page monster. But I always had the faith that time could reveal the truth." On 1 March 2024, the Potenza Court of Appeal confirmed the acquittal of Pittella.

In 2022, Pittella, followed by his brother, left the Democratic Party after not being listed as a candidate for the 2022 Italian general election and joined the Action party led by former Democratic Party member Carlo Calenda.{{Cite web |date=21 August 2022 |title=Elezioni, il senatore Gianni Pittella lascia il Pd e abbraccia Renzi e Calenda: 'Sono un embrione di speranza' |url=https://bari.repubblica.it/cronaca/2022/08/21/news/elezioni_politiche_pittella_pd_azione-362477172/ |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=La Repubblica |language=it}}{{Cite web |last=Gagliardi |first=Andrea |date=19 March 2024 |title=Basilicata, la scelta di Azione di schierarsi con il centrodestra divide i fratelli Pittella |url=https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/basilicata-scelta-azione-schierarsi-il-centrodestra-divide-fratelli-pittella-AFiQsg6C |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=Il Sole 24 Ore |language=it}} Placed at the top of Action's list for the Senate of the Republic in the proportional quota in Basilicata, he was not elected.{{Cite web |date=26 September 2022 |title=Politiche 2022: in Basilicata vince il centrodestra. M5S primo partito, male il PD. Pittella e De Filippo non eletti |url=https://www.gazzettadellavaldagri.it/politiche-2022-in-basilicata-vince-il-centrodestra-m5s-primo-partito-male-il-pd-pittella-e-de-filippo-non-eletti/ |access-date=25 March 2024 |language=it}} For the 2024 Basilicata regional election, after division and dissent within the centre-left coalition,{{cite web |last=Iurillo |first=Vincenzo |date=19 September 2023 |title=Ci sono le Regionali in Basilicata e rispunta Marcello Pittella. Così scoppia la pace (sorprendente) tra M5s ed ex governatore |url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2023/09/19/ci-sono-le-regionali-in-basilicata-e-rispunta-marcello-pittella-cosi-scoppia-la-pace-sorprendente-tra-m5s-ed-ex-governatore/7296099/ |access-date=17 March 2024 |website=Il Fatto Quotidiano |language=it}}{{cite web |last=Ferraro |first=Massimo |date=15 March 2024 |title=Pasticcio delle opposizioni in Basilicata, i 5 Stelle non mollano Lacerenza: 'È il nostro candidato'. Pittella (Azione): 'Andremo per la nostra strada' |url=https://www.open.online/2024/03/15/basilicata-candidato-centrosinistra-campo-largo-m5s-pd-azione/ |access-date=17 March 2024 |website=Open |language=it}}{{cite web |last=De Angelis |first=Alessandro |date=19 March 2024 |title=I Pittellas. Scissione familiare: uno a destra, l'altro a sinistra |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/politica/2024/03/19/news/i_pittellas_scissione_familiare_uno_a_destra_laltro_a_sinistra-15424125/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=HuffPost Italia |language=it}} he joined the centre-right coalition in support of the incumbent president Vito Bardi,{{cite web |last=Gagliardi |first=Andrea |date=18 March 2024 |title=Chi è Marcello Pittella, il campione di preferenze ago della bilancia in Basilicata |url=https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/chi-e-marcello-pittella-ex-governatore-e-campione-preferenze-e-ora-ago-bilancia-regionali-basilicata-AFEgCs5C |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=Il Sole 24 Ore |language=it}} despite having been at the opposition,{{Cite web |date=23 March 2024 |title=Basilicata, presentate le liste: Marcello Pittella con Azione nel centrodestra. Per la presidenza Marrese e Follia sfidano Bardi |url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2024/03/23/news/basilicata_presentazione_liste_elezioni_pittella_bardi_marrese-422362244/ |access-date=26 March 2024 |website=La Repubblica |language=it}} which caused dissent with his brother.{{cite web |last=Vitale |first=Giovanna |date=19 March 2024 |title=Basilicata, Calenda va con la destra ma Azione si spacca: l'ex vicepresidente dell'Europarlamento Gianni Pittella si dissocia dal fratello |url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2024/03/19/news/basilicata_calenda_destra_azione_gianni_pittella-422333630/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=La Repubblica |language=it}}{{cite web |last=Zapperi |first=Cesare |date=18 March 2024 |title=Telenovela Basilicata: si spacca anche Azione. Calenda va col centrodestra, Gianni Pittella no |url=https://www.corriere.it/politica/24_marzo_18/basilicata-calenda-come-renzi-sosterra-candidato-centrodestra-bardi-9d885e08-e4fd-11ee-aefc-c5f60529f996.shtml |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Corriere della Sera |language=it}} In justifying his and the party's decision to support Bardi and join the centre-right coalition in an audio message, Pittella compared the behavior of the Democratic Party and the Five Star Movement towards Action, alleging vetoes,{{cite web |date=19 March 2022 |title=Basilicata, Pittella: Marrese l'ho proposto io. Pd rinviava sempre |url=https://askanews.it/2024/03/19/basilicata-pittella-marrese-lho-proposto-io-pd-rinviava-sempre/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Askanews |language=it}} to that of Jews during the Holocaust. He soon said that he was sorry about the comparison and apologized to anyone who felt offended by it.{{cite web |last=Carlucci |first=Davide |date=18 March 2024 |title=Basilicata, Azione sosterrà il centrodestra. Pittella: 'Per Pd e M5s dovevamo morire come gli ebrei' |url=https://bari.repubblica.it/cronaca/2024/03/18/news/basilicata_lex_governatore_pittella_contro_laccordo_pd-m5s_che_taglia_fuori_azione_laudio_choc_per_loro_dobbiamo_mori-422328114/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=La Repubblica |language=it}}{{cite web |last=Carlucci |first=Davide |date=18 March 2024 |title='Per Pd e M5s noi dobbiamo morire come gli ebrei', l'audio shock di Pittella contro il campo largo in Basilicata che taglia fuori Azione |url=https://video.repubblica.it/edizione/bari/per-pd-e-m5s-noi-dobbiamo-morire-come-gli-ebrei-l-audio-choc-di-pittella-contro-il-campo-largo-in-basilicata-che-taglia-fuori-azione/465081/466038 |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Repubblica TV |language=it}}{{cite web |last=Tortorelli |first=Guido |date=18 March 2024 |title=Regionali in Basilicata, Azione va con Bardi. Le parole choc di Pittella: 'Per Pd e M5S, dovevamo morire come gli ebrei' |url=https://bari.corriere.it/notizie/politica/24_marzo_18/regionali-in-basilicata-azione-va-con-bardi-le-parole-choc-di-pittella-per-pd-e-m5s-dovevamo-morire-come-gli-ebrei-7a6a450f-adb0-47c7-a4e2-ba4202fe5xlk.shtml |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=Corriere della Sera |language=it}} In his written statement announcing Action's support for Bardi, alongside the Action Basilicata regional secretary Donato Pessolano, Pittella wrote that they shared "elements of his program on which to build an agreement", in particular the "relaunch of health and welfare, a reorganization and implementation of regional governance, the identification of strategies for development", which also evaluate the establishment of a sovereign fund against depopulation, "a strategy for culture that sees Matera as a beacon", and a fight against precarious employment, with a particular focus "in favour of agriculture and aiming for a high-performance governance of forestation".{{Cite web |last=Grossi |first=Lorenzo |date=18 March 2024 |title=Basilicata, anche Azione sosterrà Bardi: 'Impossibile governare con la sinistra' |url=https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/interni/basilicata-anche-azione-sosterr-bardi-impossibile-governare-2298219.html |access-date=26 March 2024 |website=Il Giornale |language=it}}

Pittella is married and has three children. In addition to his politics career, he is a surgeon. In the 1980s, he played volleyball.{{cite web |date=2014 |title=Chi sono |url=http://www.marcellopittella.net/?page_id=2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20141227082747/http://www.marcellopittella.net/?page_id=2 |archive-date=27 December 2014 |access-date=25 March 2024 |website=Marcello Pittella |language=it}} In 2016, Pittella joined the Transnational Radical Party.{{Cite web |last=Bolognetti |first=Maurizio |date=22 June 2016 |title=Intervista a Marcello Pittella sulle motivazioni della sua iscrizione al Partito Radicale Nonviolento, Transnazionale e Transpartito |url=https://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/479307/intervista-a-marcello-pittella-sulle-motivazioni-della-sua-iscrizione-al-partito |access-date=27 March 2024 |website=Radio Radicale |language=it}}{{Cite web |date=10 January 2019 |title=Bolognetti, iscrizione Marcello Pittella a Radicali Lucani |url=https://www.regione.basilicata.it/giunta/site/giunta/detail.jsp?otype=1012&id=3052823&value=regione |access-date=27 March 2024 |website=Regione Basilicata |language=it}}{{Cite web |date=10 January 2019 |title=Marcello Pittella (Pd), ha deciso di sostenere le iniziative dell’Associazione Radicali Lucani |url=https://www.trmtv.it/politica/2019_01_10/190320.html |access-date=27 March 2024 |website=Trmtv |language=it}}

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Category:1962 births

Category:Democratic Party (Italy) politicians

Category:Democrats of the Left politicians

Category:Heads of government who were later imprisoned

Category:Italian Socialist Party politicians

Category:Labour Federation (Italy) politicians

Category:Living people

Category:People from Lauria

Category:Presidents of Basilicata