Renato Schifani

Renato Maria Giuseppe Schifani (Italian pronunciation: [reˈnato skiˈfani]; born 11 May 1950) is an Italian politician. He was a prominent member of the centre-right People of Freedom, before he joined the New Centre-Right party in 2013. From 29 April 2008 to 15 March 2013 he was President of the Italian Senate. Schifani was born in Palermo.

Biography

Berlusconi's chief whip

Schifani worked as a lawyer who specialised in trials at the Supreme Court of Cassation (Italian: Corte Suprema di Cassazione), the major court of last resort. He specialized in real estate regulations and became active in the debt collecting business. Filippo Mancuso, the former Minister of Justice born in Palermo, termed Schifani “the prince of debt collectors” (“il principe del recupero crediti”). Prior to joining Forza Italia in 1995, he was an active member of Christian Democracy. Elected in 1996 in the Altofonte-Corleone district in Sicily, Schifani served as Silvio Berlusconi's chief whip in the Italian Senate.