H.E. Daniela Santanche

Daniela Garnero Santanchè was born in Cuneo in 1961. She is an Italian entrepreneur and politician. In 1998 she founded the non-profit association "Solidarietà 2000", organizing artistic, cultural and working activities for inmates and children.

She began her political activity in 1995 as a consultant for fashion and major events of the municipality of Milan. In 1999 she was elected to the Provincial Council of Milan, where she chaired the Culture Commission and of the Fashion Consultative body. In 2001 she became a Deputy for the political party “Alleanza Nazionale (AN)” and member, and later Vice-President, of the Budget, Treasury and Programming Commission. From 2003 to 2004 she was city Councilor with responsibility for culture, sport and major events in Ragalna (Catania).

In 2004 she was appointed member of the Economic-Social Council for Government Policies and Head of Department for Equal Opportunities of AN. In 2005 she was the first Italian woman to be named rapporteur for the Finance Law and she presided the Control Committee for public spending in the Budget Commission. In 2006 she was re-elected in the Parliament, continued to be a member, in the Opposition side, of the Budget Commission. In 2007 she was nominated National Spokesperson for the political party “La Destra” and became the first woman in Italy to run for Prime Minister.

In 2010 she was appointed Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council. She was re-elected to the Parliament in 2013 and was a member of: the Finance Commission (2013-2014), the Commission for European Union Policies (2014-2015), the Commission for Public and Private Work (2015-2018).

In 2018 she was elected in the Senate with “Fratelli d’Italia”. She became a member of the Commission for Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and of the Parliamentary Commission for the general direction and supervision of radio and television services. She was re-elected in the Senate, and since October 2022 she is Minister of Tourism.