26 Facts About Antonio Tajani

Antonio Tajani is an Italian politician, journalist and former Italian Air Force officer, who has served as Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and Minister of Foreign Affairs since 22 October 2022.

Antonio Tajani served as President of the European Parliament from 2017 to 2019, as European Commissioner from 2008 to 2014, and as a member of the European Parliament from 1994 to 2008 and again from 2014 to 2022 until he was elected to Italy's Chamber of Deputies.

Antonio Tajani has consistently advocated the return from exile of the House of Savoy.

Antonio Tajani was one of the founders of the party in 1994, and then regional coordinator of the party in Lazio from 1994 in 2005.

Antonio Tajani was a special envoy to Lebanon, the Soviet Union and Somalia.

In 1994 Antonio Tajani was elected a Member of the European Parliament, and reelected in 1999 and 2004.

Antonio Tajani was chairman of the delegation of to the European Parliament from June 1999 until May 2008.

Since 2002 Antonio Tajani has been one of 10 vice-presidents of the European People's Party.

Antonio Tajani was re-elected at the Rome Congress in 2006 and at the Bonn conference in 2009, and then again at the Bucharest Congress in 2012.

Antonio Tajani was an MEP for Central Italy with the party from 2004 to 2008 and sat on the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Antonio Tajani was a substitute for the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and a member of the Delegation for relations with Israel.

Antonio Tajani was a member of the European Convention, which drafted the text of the European Constitution that never entered into force.

Antonio Tajani is a member of the Working Group on the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Antonio Tajani was officially approved in his post by the European Parliament on 18 June 2008 with a vote of 507 to 53 with 64 abstentions.

Antonio Tajani's plan was not successful and Alitalia is remains in terminal administration only supported by illegal state aid.

Antonio Tajani oversaw the drafting of new EU Regulation relating to transport, including clarification of the rights of passengers in air transport.

The confirmation of Antonio Tajani followed the decline of the candidacy of Massimo D'Alema as High Representative for Foreign Policy.

In October 2012 Antonio Tajani launched his campaign for a new industrial revolution in Europe in order to flip the tendency of the economic crisis and revamp industry.

Additionally, in November 2012 Antonio Tajani presented, in collaboration with the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom, a Communication to examine how the implementation and development of a common policy in terms of visas could support the EU growth by providing more chances for foreign travelers to visit the Union.

On 11 June 2013 Antonio Tajani presented the first Action Plan for the Steel Industry since 1977 to help this sector face today's challenges and lay the foundations for future competitiveness by fostering innovation, creating growth and jobs.

On 17 January 2017, Antonio Tajani was elected after four rounds of voting, following the withdrawal of Verhofstadt and declaration of support for the EPP candidate by the ALDE; he was first Italian to hold the office since the Christian democrat Emilio Colombo.

In March 2017, Antonio Tajani warned that "Africa is risking becoming a Chinese colony" as the Chinese want only the raw materials but not interested in stability.

In January 2019, Antonio Tajani expressed hope to be re-elected for a second 2.5-year term, but he was replaced by another Italian, member of the Democratic Party, David Sassoli.

Antonio Tajani declined to take action or report on Potocnik's concerns, until the Volkswagen emissions scandal confirmed the commissioner's concerns in 2015.

At the subsequent EMIS hearing on the subject, Antonio Tajani claimed that he was not informed of the issue at the time.

In February 2019, Antonio Tajani held a speech at the National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe commemoration in Basovizza which aroused an outrage in Slovenia and Croatia, most notably the statement "Long live Trieste, long live Italian Istria, long live Italian Dalmatia".