The Florence magistrate acquits Renzi and nine other suspects, closing a controversial chapter in Italian politics.
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The editorial staff of Notizie.it
Posted on December 19, 2024 at 1:19 PM
The acquittal of Matteo Renzi
Matteo Renzi, former Prime Minister and leader of Italia Viva, was acquitted by the magistrate of Florence, Sara Farini, in the context of the investigation into the Open foundation. This foundation was created to support Renzi’s political initiatives during his term as secretary of the Democratic Party. Along with him, nine other suspects were also acquitted, including Maria Elena Boschi, former minister and leading figure of the Democratic Party, and Luca Lotti, former Minister of Sports.
The accusations and complaints
Renzi, Boschi and Carrai were accused of illegal financing of political parties, but the charges did not stop there. The Public Prosecution Service had also hypothesized about more serious crimes, such as influence trading, corruption, self-money laundering and issuing invoices for non-existent transactions. According to the accusation, the Open Foundation operated as a real party branch, especially of the PD movement that had ties to Renzi. It is estimated that the foundation has received around 3.5 million euros in violation of party financing rules.
The reactions and political consequences
The acquittal led to mixed reactions in the Italian political landscape. Renzi has always disputed the allegations and has launched a legal battle against prosecutors involved in the investigation. During the preliminary hearing, which began more than two years ago, the Constitutional Court was also appealed over power conflicts. Today, Deputy Prosecutor Luca Turco, who led the investigation together with Prosecutor Aldo Nastasi, is preparing to leave his post due to his retirement, marking the end of a controversial chapter for Italian justice.
