Editing Roberto Formigoni (section)

==Career==
Born in [[Lecco]] in the [[Lombardy]] region, Formigoni began his political career early in [[Christian Democracy (Italy)|Christian Democracy]] through youth movements, such as ''Gioventù Studentesca'' and [[Communion and Liberation]], of which he became the unofficial political spokesman. In 1976, he founded the [[Popular Movement (Italy)|Popular Movement]] and was elected a deputy in both the [[European Parliament]] (with over 450,000 votes) and [[Italian Parliament]]. He was also the vice-president of the European Parliament for five years and served as [[undersecretary of state]] for the [[Ministry of the Environment (Italy)|Ministry of the Environment]] in the Italian government.

In 1990, Formigoni garnered attention when he was involved in a mission to [[Iraq]] that successfully concluded with the freeing of some Italian technicians who were hostages of the local government. He later took part in the [[oil-for-food]] programme for Iraq, buying 1,000,000 oil barrels (160,000 cubic metres). The move sparked controversy and linked him to alleged bribe scandals. In 1995, he and [[Rocco Buttiglione]] founded the [[United Christian Democrats]] party. In 1998, he moved to [[Forza Italia]], when Buttiglione briefly decided to support the government of [[Massimo D'Alema]].

In 1995, Formigoni was elected [[president of Lombardy]]. Leftist groups opposed his centre-right platform. Formigoni was re-elected in 2000 carrying over 62% of the approximately 3.5&nbsp;million votes, and in 2005 with almost 54% of the approximately 2.8&nbsp;million votes. He was elected to a fourth term in March 2010 with 56% of the approximately 2.7&nbsp;million votes. His candidature had been contested by academics and left-wing politicians, as in disregard of Law no. 165/2004, which put a limit of two consecutive mandates to directly elected regional presidents. Formigoni was indirectly elected in 1995 but then directly elected in 2000 and 2005. He defended himself, stating that the law was not in vigour when he was first directly elected in 2000, so he should be allowed a fourth mandate. According to some scholars, his mandate could have been overturned by judges later on.<ref>Vittorio Angiolini, professore ordinario di Diritto costituzionale dell'Università di Milano; Margherita Raveraira, Università di Perugia [http://www.federalismi.it/ApplOpenFilePDF_Output.cfm?custom_header=01&dpath=document&dfile=07102009134323.pdf Il limite del doppio mandato alla immediata rielezione del Presidente della giunta regionale: una questione complessa] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722033205/http://www.federalismi.it/ApplOpenFilePDF_Output.cfm?custom_header=01&dpath=document&dfile=07102009134323.pdf |date=22 July 2011 }}, Federalismi.it</ref><ref name="ainis">Michele Ainis, [http://www.lastampa.it/_web/cmstp/tmplRubriche/editoriali/gEditoriali.asp?ID_blog=25&ID_articolo=6899&ID_sezione=&sezione= La terza via di Errani e Formigoni], ''La Stampa'', 25 gennaio 2010</ref>