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Carlo Calenda is known for his liberal-socialist ideas and his advocacy for civil rights, including gay marriage and civil unions.
He supports the reintroduction of nuclear energy in Italy and has written several books, including “Wild Horizons” and “Monsters and How to Defeat Them.”
Carlo Calenda’s Biography
Carlo Calenda was born in Rome on April 9, 1973. He comes from a family with a background in economics, journalism, and politics.
Fabio Calenda, his father, is an economist, journalist, and writer, and Cristina Comencini, his mother, is a director. Carlo is Carlo Calenda’s nephew and the grandson of legendary director Luigi Comencini.
Carlo had his first acting experience at the age of 11 when he appeared alongside his mother in the television drama “Cuore,” directed by his grandfather. He went to the Mamiani classical high school in Rome and then earned a law degree from the University of Rome “La Sapienza.”
During his studies, he worked as a financial consultant before joining prominent organisations such as Ferrari and Sky Italia.
Carlo began his political career by joining Italia Futura, a centrist political organisation formed by Luca Cordero di Montezemolo. He was instrumental in managing the party’s candidate selection. He ran for the Chamber of Deputies in the 2013 political elections but was not elected.
Carlo was named Deputy Minister of Economic Development in the Letta cabinet in 2013. He emphasised foreign trade promotion and the implementation of the “Made in Italy” plan to boost Italy’s international trade and attract foreign investment.
During his tenure as Deputy Minister, he led various delegations of Italian entrepreneurs abroad and fought against China being recognised as a market economy.
Carlo was named Italy’s Permanent Representative to the European Union in 2016, a position often held by diplomats. In this capacity, he worked as a political and external figure, representing Italy at the EU.
He was appointed Minister of Economic Development in the Renzi government in 2016, and he held the same position in the Gentiloni cabinet. He put many industrial strategies into action and helped to build the “Industry 4.0” programme.
Carlo campaigned as a candidate in the European elections in 2019 and was elected to the European Parliament.
He did, however, leave the Democratic Party (PD) and create the Action Party. He ran for mayor of Rome in the 2021 administrative elections but was defeated.
Carlo was elected secretary of Action in 2022 and led the party in the national elections that same year.
Despite receiving a sizable vote share, his party fell short of his goal. Following the elections, he announced the formation of a federation between Action and Italia Viva to form a combined parliamentary group.
Who Is Carlo Calenda’s First Wife?
Carlo Calenda’s first wife is called Violante Guidotti Bentivoglio. The couple are parents to four children.
