Andrea Orlando


Andrea Orlando is an Italian politician. He is a founding member of the Democratic Party and served as Minister of Justice from February 2014 to 1 June 2018, first in the Renzi Cabinet and later in the Gentiloni Cabinet. Before that, Orlando served as Minister of the Environment in the Letta Cabinet from April 2013 to February 2014.

Early life

Andrea Orlando was born in La Spezia on 8 February 1969; He is a high-school graduate with a major in scientific subjects. his parents came from the Southern region of Campania. He attended the scientific lyceum "Antonio Pacinotti", but he does not have a university degree.

Political career

Orlando began his political career in the Communist Party. In 1989 he was elected provincial secretary of the Italian Communist Youth Federation for his hometown, and in 1990 he was elected to the city council of La Spezia with the party. In 1995 he became city secretary for the Democratic Party of the Left; in 2003 he became deputy national coordinator of the Democrats of the Left.
Orlando was firstly elected in the Italian Chamber of Deputies in 2006, representing the Liguria constituency. He served in different parliamentary commissions.
Then he became a founding member of the Democratic Party. In 2009, he was made the head of the justice forum of the Democratic Party, under the leadership of Pier Luigi Bersani. He is known as one of the "Young Turks" in the Italian politics.
On 23 April 2013, Orlando was appointed Minister of the Environment in the grand coalition government led by Prime Minister Enrico Letta. Orlando succeeded Corrado Clini in that post.

Minister of Justice

On 13 February 2014, following tensions with his left-wing rival and new Secretary of the Democratic Party, Matteo Renzi, Letta announced he would resign as Prime Minister the following day. On 22 February Renzi was sworn in as Prime Minister and Orlando was appointed Minister of Justice.
On 12 December 2016, when Renzi resigned as Prime Minister after the constitutional referendum, Orlando was confirmed as Justice Minister by the new Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.