The Italian government has formally nominated former agriculture minister and former Democratic Party secretary Maurizio Martina as a candidate for the position of Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The decision was announced jointly by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani and Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida. Italian MEPs point out that broad support within the European Union is essential for the candidacy's success.

Official nomination by the Italian government

Deputy Prime Minister Tajani and Minister Lollobrigida jointly announced that Italy is nominating Maurizio Martina for the position of FAO chief.

Experience in agriculture and politics

Martina is a former agriculture minister and former secretary of the Democratic Party, giving him strong substantive and political qualifications.

Need for consensus in the European Union

Italian MEPs emphasize that the candidacy's success depends on securing broad support from all EU member states.

Context of EU agricultural policy

The announcement of the candidacy was accompanied by criticism from Minister Lollobrigida regarding the EU's previous "ideological excess" in wine-making matters.

The Italian government has officially decided to nominate former agriculture minister Maurizio Martina for the position of Director-General of the FAO. The information was provided jointly by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani and Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Francesco Lollobrigida. Martina, who headed the Italian agriculture ministry from 2014-2016 and later served as secretary of the Democratic Party, is considered a politician with significant experience in a field crucial to the FAO's mandate. FAO, founded in 1945 in Quebec, aims to combat hunger and improve global nutrition levels by supporting agricultural development. Since 2019, the organization has been led by Chinese national Qu Dongyu, whose term ends in 2027. Elections for the new Director-General will take place during the FAO Conference in 2027. In response to the nomination, Italian MEPs from the Democratic Party emphasized that its success will depend on securing broad consensus at the European level. „For Martina's candidacy for FAO chief, European convergence is needed” – they stated, pointing to the necessity of united support from all European Union member states. This indicates that the mere nomination by the government in Rome is only the first step in a long procedure of securing international support. The announcement of the candidacy coincided with Minister Lollobrigida's statement on EU agricultural policy. The minister criticized Brussels' previous approach to wine-making issues, describing it as „ideological excess”. „„Finora eccesso ideologico”” — Francesco Lollobrigida – he said, referring to measures adopted by the EU. Commentators see this statement as a signal of a change in tone from the Italian government in its dialogue with the European Commission regarding the agricultural sector. The procedure for electing the new FAO chief is complex and requires intensive diplomatic efforts. The candidate must secure support not only in their own region but also among a broad group of the organization's member states. The Italian candidacy fits into the tradition whereby leadership positions in UN agencies are often subject to arrangements between major regional players. Past FAO Directors-General have included Brazilian José Graziano da Silva and Chinese Qu Dongyu. Martina's success could mean a return of a European to this position after several terms.

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