Renato Brunetta

Order of Merit of the Italian Republic; recipient of the 2024 ‘Le Ragioni della Nuova Politica’ Award, for RENATO BRUNETTA

Renato Brunetta has been President of the CNEL (National Council for Economics and Labour) since April 2023.

Full Professor of Labour Economics at the University of Rome, Tor Vergata.

Since March 2022, he has been President of the Venice World Capital of Sustainability Foundation, appointed by the Prime Minister, Mario Draghi.From May 2008 to November 2011, he served as Minister for Public Administration and Innovation in the fourth Berlusconi government, and from February 2021 to October 2022 as Minister for Public Administration in the Draghi government. A Member of Parliament for the People of Freedom and Forza Italia parties, he served in the Chamber of Deputies from 2008 to 2023 (16th, 17th and 18th legislatures).

He was Chairman of the Forza Italia parliamentary group in the Chamber of Deputies during the 17th legislature.From July 1999 to April 2008, he was a Member of the European Parliament, where he served as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. From 1998, he was Head of the Policy Department and, in 2007–2008, National Deputy Coordinator of Forza Italia.From 1980 to 1996, he served as Secretary-General of the Brodolini Foundation. During those same years, he edited the quarterly journal on economic policy and industrial relations, *Economia & Lavoro*.In the 1980s and 1990s, he served as an economic adviser to the Craxi (1986–1987), Amato (1992–1993) and Ciampi (1993–1994) governments. He was economic adviser to Prime Minister Berlusconi from 2003 to 2006. He served as Vice-Chair of the OECD’s Committee on Labour and Social Affairs (Paris, 1985–1989). From 1983 to 1987, he was responsible, at the Ministry of Labour, for all employment strategies and income policy. From 1989 to 1999, he served as a member of the CNEL and as Chair of the Information Commission.

In his academic career, he is the author of numerous books and scholarly publications on labour economics and industrial relations. He has also published a significant number of essays chronicling the key phases of Italian political and economic life.

A columnist for Italy’s leading newspapers, he has received numerous awards throughout his career: in 1988, the Saint Vincent Prize for Economics; in 1992, the Tarantelli Prize for the best work on labour economics; in 1995, the Scanno Prize for the best work on industrial relations; in 2000, the Rodolfo Valentino International Prize for Economics, Finance and Communication; in 2009, the Capalbio Prize 2009, in the politics category, for the book *Rivoluzione in corso* (Mondadori, 2009); in 2015, the Lucio Colletti Journalism Prize for intellectual autonomy and independence in communication; in 2018, the Leone d’Oro Prize for Peace, a special lifetime achievement award; in 2021, the Italia Informa Prize, Person of the Year; in 2022, the Farnèse d’Or Prize, in the politics category, for leading figures in the fields of economics, politics and culture in relations between the two countries; in 2022, the Camillo Cavour Prize, awarded to a figure who has distinguished themselves particularly in the field of politics; in 2023, Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur, for his commitment across all the roles he has held throughout his career, in both Italian and European politics; in 2024, Knight Grand Cross of the Order, in recognition of the valuable contribution made to employment policies and the management of the public administration through significant legislative measures and institutional roles, always with a pro-European vision and with a focus on efficiency and transparency, particularly with regard to public assets; in 2025, the Laurentum Lifetime Achievement Award, as an example of excellence and an inspirational role model for present and future generations.

President of the Ravello Foundation from 2011 to 2014.

Renato Brunetta was born in Venice in 1950.