Luciana Uliano (born 1988) was Prime Minister of Italy from 2019 to 2022, succeeding Gabriele Tedeschi and preceding Franco Guidi.
Biography[]
Luciana Uliano was born in Salerno, Campania, Italy in 1988, and she worked as a news anchor before entering politics with the Democratic Party of Italy. She was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 2009, and she was elected party leader in 2019 to succeed the term-limited Gabriele Tedeschi. However, she tied with M5S leader Stefano Vizzini in the premiership election, leading to Tedeschi forming a caretaker government until another election could be held later that year. In the second election, both the M5S and PD lost support, but they remained the largest parties in the Chamber, and Uliano defeated Vizzini in a 12-10 vote.
Premiership[]
As Prime Minister, Uliano presided over a declining economy. The Chamber voted 12-9 against a highway toll bill, but the Chamber voted 12-8 to approve a car tax, 12-6 to approve a land tax, and 11-9 to approve setting the voting age at 16. The Chamber then created national parks after a vote of 14-5, passed an alcohol tax after a 13-8, and outlawed prostitution in an 11-7 vote. In the mid-2020 election, M5S won 34.27% of the vote and 8 seats, PD won 22.01% and 5 seats, FI won 17.3% and 4 seats, SI won 15.6% and 4 seats, and LN won 10.81% and 3 seats. A week later, the Chamber again failed to elect a new Prime Minister, tying with M5S leader Stefano Vizzini in a 10-10 vote; Uliano therefore continued to serve as Prime Minister. The Chamber narrowly voted 9-7 to abolish the car tax, and voted 11-9 against an airport tax. In a February 2021 poll, M5S had the support of 35.5% of the population, followed by PD at 22.3%, FI at 16.7%, SI at 15%, and LN at 10.5%. In the general election of mid-2021, M5S won 35.59% and 9 seats, PD won 22.34% and 5 seats, FI won 17.28% and 4 seats, SI won 15.38% and 4 seats, and LN won 9.41% and 2 seats. The Chamber then legalized prostitution in a 10-8 vote, helping the economy to recover. The ensuing leadership election saw Vizzini and Uliano tie again, and Uliano continued to serve as Prime Minister. Under Uliano, she backed the successful 11-9 abolition of the coffee tax, approved highway tolls in an 11-7 vote, approved gun prohibition in a 13-8 vote (despite her party opposing the bill), and approve an airport tax 11-10 on 31 December. In the general election, M5S won 34.03% and 8 seats, followed by PD with 22.67% and 6 seats, FI with 18.42% and 4 seats, SI with 16.2% and 4 seats, and LN with 8.68% and 2 seats. In the ensuing leadership election, Uliano was re-elected in a vote of 11-9. Uliano's new government failed in its 7-9 opposition to a taxi license bill, approved the creation of a national football league in a 17-2 vote, and approved compulsory military service in a 12-7 vote. The mid-2022 election saw M5S win 38.53% of the vote and 9 seats, PD 19% and 5 seats, FI 16.34% and 4 seats, SI 16.26% and 4 seats, and LN 9.87% and 2 seats. The term-limited Uliano was forced to step down as M5S leader Franco Guidi defeated new PD leader Camilla Ciano in a 10-9 vote.