Luigi de Magistris (magistrate)
Encyclopedia
Luigi de Magistris is the Mayor of Naples
and a former prosecutor
. He started his career as a public prosecutor in 1995 and worked in Naples
from 1998 to 2002. He was deputy public prosecutor in Catanzaro, Italy
, from 2002 to 2009 and was a Member of the European Parliament
. His investigations have frequently focused on links between the Mafia
and politicians.
In 2011, de Magistris ran for the Mayor of Naples as the candidate of Italy of Values
. He won in the second round defeating the right-wing candidate Gianni Lettieri with 65% of the vote.
In Catanzaro, he worked for several years on the "Poseidone" investigation into misuse by politicians of European Community subsidies for sewage filter systems and other business projects in Calabria. The "Poseidone" case was taken away from Luigi de Magistris, and as was the "Why Not" investigation in which the names of well-known politicians have come up. This investigation was due to be wound up after nearly two years and the persons involved formally indicted. Another case that de Magistris has been involved with is "Le Toghe Lucane", in Basilicata. One of the people to be questioned by de Magistris was Henry John Woodcock, a public prosecutor in Basilicata
.
As his recent investigations involve famous names such as Romano Prodi
, the Italian prime Minister and Clemente Mastella
, the Italian Minister of Justice, de Magistris has been at the centre of media controversy. There have been articles and interviews in several Italian national newspapers, such as La Repubblica
, La Stampa
, Il Corriere della Sera. He has also made some controversial appearances on public television programs like AnnoZero
(October 4, 2007). The Italian journalist Marco Travaglio
has written several articles supporting him.
The Minister of Justice Clemente Mastella
recently asked that Luigi de Magistris be transferred because he had allegedly revealed Mastella's name as well as those of other Italian politicians apparently involved in his investigations. De Magistris appears before the CSM (the governing board of the magistracy) in January 2008 to defend himself against the serious allegations of the Minister and his inspectors.
The Economist
also mentions Luigi de Magistris "whose investigations have shaken Basilicata
's magistracy".
Italian comedian Beppe Grillo
has also mentioned de Magistris many times in his political blog
Luigi de Magistris has been the second most voted Italian politician in European elections 2009
senator Giancarlo Pittelli and general Walter Lombardo Cretella.
appears in the investigation, thanks to his contacts with Antonio Saladino, a key figure in the enquiry.
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and a former prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
. He started his career as a public prosecutor in 1995 and worked in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
from 1998 to 2002. He was deputy public prosecutor in Catanzaro, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, from 2002 to 2009 and was a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
. His investigations have frequently focused on links between the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
and politicians.
In 2011, de Magistris ran for the Mayor of Naples as the candidate of Italy of Values
Italy of Values
Italy of Values is a centrist, populist and anti-corruption political party in Italy. The party, which is affiliated to the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party , is headed by former Mani pulite prosecutor Antonio Di Pietro, who entered politics in 1996.The party aims to gather and give...
. He won in the second round defeating the right-wing candidate Gianni Lettieri with 65% of the vote.
In Catanzaro, he worked for several years on the "Poseidone" investigation into misuse by politicians of European Community subsidies for sewage filter systems and other business projects in Calabria. The "Poseidone" case was taken away from Luigi de Magistris, and as was the "Why Not" investigation in which the names of well-known politicians have come up. This investigation was due to be wound up after nearly two years and the persons involved formally indicted. Another case that de Magistris has been involved with is "Le Toghe Lucane", in Basilicata. One of the people to be questioned by de Magistris was Henry John Woodcock, a public prosecutor in Basilicata
Basilicata
Basilicata , also known as Lucania, is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south, having one short southwestern coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania in the northwest and Calabria in the southwest, and a...
.
As his recent investigations involve famous names such as Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...
, the Italian prime Minister and Clemente Mastella
Clemente Mastella
Mario Clemente Mastella is an Italian politician. He is currently leader of Popular-UDEUR, a minor centrist Italian party. He was Minister of Labour in the Berlusconi government from 10 May 1994 to 17 January 1995, and Minister of Justice in the Prodi government from 17 May 2006 to 17 January 2008...
, the Italian Minister of Justice, de Magistris has been at the centre of media controversy. There have been articles and interviews in several Italian national newspapers, such as La Repubblica
La Repubblica
la Repubblica is an Italian daily general-interest newspaper. Founded in 1976 in Rome by the journalist Eugenio Scalfari, as of 2008 is the second largest circulation newspaper, behind the Corriere della Sera.-Foundation:...
, La Stampa
La Stampa
La Stampa is one of the best-known, most influential and most widely sold Italian daily newspapers. Published in Turin, it is distributed in Italy and other European nations. The current owner is the Fiat Group.-History:...
, Il Corriere della Sera. He has also made some controversial appearances on public television programs like AnnoZero
AnnoZero
AnnoZero is an Italian television talk show hosted by the Italian journalist Michele Santoro and has been broadcast on Rai 2 since 2006. Beatrice Borromeo was a collaborator on this show from 2006-2008. Journalist Marco Travaglio is a permanent guest on the show...
(October 4, 2007). The Italian journalist Marco Travaglio
Marco Travaglio
Marco Travaglio is an Italian investigative journalist, writer and commentator.-Biography:Travaglio was born in Turin. He started his career writing for Catholic publications such as Il nostro tempo , then worked for the renowned journalist Indro Montanelli for newspapers such as Il Giornale and...
has written several articles supporting him.
The Minister of Justice Clemente Mastella
Clemente Mastella
Mario Clemente Mastella is an Italian politician. He is currently leader of Popular-UDEUR, a minor centrist Italian party. He was Minister of Labour in the Berlusconi government from 10 May 1994 to 17 January 1995, and Minister of Justice in the Prodi government from 17 May 2006 to 17 January 2008...
recently asked that Luigi de Magistris be transferred because he had allegedly revealed Mastella's name as well as those of other Italian politicians apparently involved in his investigations. De Magistris appears before the CSM (the governing board of the magistracy) in January 2008 to defend himself against the serious allegations of the Minister and his inspectors.
The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
also mentions Luigi de Magistris "whose investigations have shaken Basilicata
Basilicata
Basilicata , also known as Lucania, is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south, having one short southwestern coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania in the northwest and Calabria in the southwest, and a...
's magistracy".
Italian comedian Beppe Grillo
Beppe Grillo
Giuseppe Piero Grillo, better known as Beppe Grillo , is an Italian activist, blogger, comedian, actor and politician, who also works in theatres and television.-Biography:Grillo was born in Genoa, Liguria....
has also mentioned de Magistris many times in his political blog
Luigi de Magistris has been the second most voted Italian politician in European elections 2009
Poseidone
The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) started the enquiry and handed it over to Luigi De Magistris in May 2005. Investigations started in May 2005 into an allegedly illegal use of 200 million € of European Community funds. Luigi De Magistris has been removed from the investigation with the accusation that De Magistris did not keep the details of the case confidential and revealed the names of people under investigation, including Forza ItaliaForza Italia
Forza Italia was a liberal-conservative, Christian democratic, and liberal political party in Italy, with a large social democratic minority, that was led by Silvio Berlusconi, four times Prime Minister of Italy....
senator Giancarlo Pittelli and general Walter Lombardo Cretella.
Why Not
This investigation is about illegal use of public funding. The name of the former Italian Minister of Justice Clemente MastellaClemente Mastella
Mario Clemente Mastella is an Italian politician. He is currently leader of Popular-UDEUR, a minor centrist Italian party. He was Minister of Labour in the Berlusconi government from 10 May 1994 to 17 January 1995, and Minister of Justice in the Prodi government from 17 May 2006 to 17 January 2008...
appears in the investigation, thanks to his contacts with Antonio Saladino, a key figure in the enquiry.
External links
- "The lodge of deals" in Espresso, 5 april 2007, translated into English on the site of OLAF
- Article about Luigi de Magistris in The Economist Interview in Italian of Luigi de Magistris from the Casalinuovo hall in Catanzaro Intervista al magistrato Luigi De Magistris sulla criminalità organizzata, Radio RadicaleRadio RadicaleRadio Radicale is the official radio station of Partito Radicale in Italy.It was founded in the seventies, along with the "Radio libere"....
, July 17, 2007 - UDC until proven guilty, Hammer & Tongues weblog
- Articles written on l'UnitàL'Unitàl'Unità is an Italian left-wing newspaper, originally founded as official newspaper of the Italian Communist Party.-History:L'Unità was founded by Antonio Gramsci on 12 February 1924, as the newspaper of workers and peasants, the official newspaper of Italian Communist Party : it was printed in...