# Holocaust survivor to oversee start of rightist Italian parliament Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-10-13 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Holocaust Survivor Liliana Segre to Preside Over Italy's New Parliament Opening Meta Description: Read about the notable opening of Italy's new parliament, with Holocaust survivor Liliana Segre presiding over the Senate, amid a right-wing coalition URL: https://financedigest.com/holocaust-survivor-to-oversee-start-of-rightist-italian-parliamenthtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-10-13t011243z2lynxmpei9c00rrtroptp4italy-politics-1736815034455-compressed.jpg) By Crispian Balmer ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s new parliament opens on Thursday, with a Holocaust survivor due to preside over the first session of the upper house Senate as the most right-wing coalition since World War Two takes control of both chambers. Liliana Segre was the only member of her family to emerge alive from the Nazi Auschwitz concentration camp at the end of the war. Honoured as a senator for life, the 92 year-old is the oldest active member of the house, meaning she will start proceedings. The Senate’s first duty will be to [elect a president](https://www.financedigest.com/wickremesinghe-a-wily-political-survivor-elected-sri-lankas-president.html "Wickremesinghe, a wily political survivor, elected Sri Lanka’s president"), who is likely to be Ignazio La Russa – a senior member of the nationalist Brothers of Italy party, which won the most seats in the Sept. 25 election. A video posted in 2018 on the Corriere della Sera wesbite of La Russa in his home showed he collected memorabilia of [Italy’s wartime fascist](https://www.financedigest.com/first-nationwide-map-of-italys-fascist-monuments-goes-online.html "First nationwide map of Italy’s fascist monuments goes online") leader Benito Mussolini. Mussolini ruled Italy for more than two decades, [allying it with Nazi Germany](https://www.financedigest.com/in-germany-king-charles-honours-victims-of-wwii-allied-bombings.html "In Germany, King Charles honours victims of WWII allied bombings") and enacting anti-Semitic laws that ultimately led to the death of nearly 6,000 Italian Jews in camps. Segre made no public comment about the recent election or the expected elevation of La Russa, whose middle name is Benito, to the role of Senate speaker – the second highest institutional [job in Italy](https://www.financedigest.com/telecom-italia-in-talks-with-unions-on-up-to-2000-job-cuts-in-italy.html "Telecom Italia in talks with unions on up to 2,000 job cuts in Italy") after the president of the republic. The opening of [parliament paves the way for the head of state to hold talks](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-parliament-committee-chair-says-she-talked-defence-cooperation-on-taiwan-trip.html "UK parliament committee chair says she talked defence cooperation on Taiwan trip") with party leaders about the formation of the new government, which is likely to take office before the end of October. Brothers of Italy leader Giorgia Meloni looks sure to become Italy’s first female [prime minister](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-queen-elizabeth-will-appoint-new-prime-minister-at-balmoral.html "Britain’s Queen Elizabeth will appoint new prime minister at Balmoral") after her party won more votes than her main allies – the anti-immigrant League, headed by Matteo Salvini, and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia group. She will face a daunting task, with the [euro zone’s](https://www.financedigest.com/euro-zone-inflation-seen-just-above-ecbs-target-in-2025-poll-shows.html "Euro zone inflation seen just above ECB’s target in 2025, poll shows") third largest economy heading into recession, energy prices soaring and the war in Ukraine showing no sign of easing. [Talks on pulling together the coalition](https://www.financedigest.com/finnish-centre-right-eyes-coalition-talks-as-defeated-marin-considers-future.html "Finnish centre-right eyes coalition talks as defeated Marin considers future") cabinet have also proved unexpectedly complicated, with both Salvini and Berlusconi demanding positions for their parties that Meloni has been unwilling to concede, political sources have said. Filling the role of [economy minister](https://www.financedigest.com/italys-giorgetti-gets-melonis-backing-to-be-economy-minister.html "Italy’s Giorgetti gets Meloni’s backing to be economy minister") has proved especially hard. Meloni has looked to tap a respected technocrat for the sensitive role, [seeking to reassure investors](https://www.financedigest.com/investors-seek-higher-returns-as-catastrophe-bond-issuance-slows-during-q2-according-to-aon-study.html "INVESTORS SEEK HIGHER RETURNS AS CATASTROPHE BOND ISSUANCE SLOWS DURING Q2, ACCORDING TO AON STUDY"), but none has so far shown willing to join her administration. The upper and lower houses will be less crowded than before. In an effort to [reduce costs](https://www.financedigest.com/cobots-in-the-financial-workplace-reducing-costs-attracting-talent-and-enhancing-sustainability.html "Cobots in the financial workplace: Reducing costs, attracting talent and enhancing sustainability"), the previous parliament voted to cut the number of lawmakers, meaning there will be just 400 deputies in the lower chamber against a previous 630 and only 200 elected senators compared with 315 before. Among the reduced ranks of senators, will be former prime minister Berlusconi, who is making his return to the upper house at the age of 86, nine [years after he was expelled from elected office following a conviction for tax fraud](https://www.financedigest.com/scam-special-how-to-avoid-christmas-shopping-fraud-this-year.html "Scam Special: How to Avoid Christmas Shopping Fraud this Year"). (Additional reporting by Angelo Amante; editing by Barbara Lewis) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. 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