Barbara Lezzi Italian politician Date of Birth: 24.04.1972 Country: Italy

1. Early Life and Education
2. Political Career
3. Electoral Triumph
4. Ministerial Appointment
5. Transition and Dissent

Early Life and Education

Born on April 24, 1972, in Lecce, Lezzi completed her education at the Istituto Tecnico "Deledda" in 1991, earning a diploma in office administration and foreign language correspondence.

Political Career

Lezzi's political journey began in 2013 when she was elected to the Senate as part of the Five Star Movement (M5S) from the Apulia region. She held significant roles within the Senate, including Deputy Chairperson of the Permanent Commission on Budget and Economic Planning and member of the Permanent Commission on European Policies.

Electoral Triumph

In 2018, Lezzi achieved a notable victory in the Senate elections, securing 39.9% of the votes in the Nardo constituency. Her main competitors included Luciano Cariddi (35.2%) and former Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema (3.9%).

Ministerial Appointment

On June 1, 2018, Lezzi was appointed as Minister without Portfolio for Southern Italy in the Conte government. She held this position until September 4, 2019.

Transition and Dissent

In September 2019, Conte formed his second government, omitting Lezzi from ministerial positions. She expressed strong opposition to M5S's participation in the Draghi government in February 2021 and unsuccessfully advocated for a second online vote among M5S members.