Born in Cuneo, Piedmont
Guido Crosetto is born on 7 January in Cuneo, in the province of the same name in southern Piedmont, Italy. The Cuneese — the broad alluvial plain between the Maritime Alps and the Po Valley — is a historically conservative agricultural and industrial territory that will leave a lasting imprint on his political sensibility.
Degree in Economics and Business, University of Turin
Crosetto studies Economia e Commercio at the University of Turin, one of Italy's oldest universities (founded 1404). His degree encompasses economic theory, business finance, commercial law and public finance — a formation that will later inform his approach to defence budgets, procurement and industrial policy in ways that few of his political contemporaries can match.
Tangentopoli and the Collapse of the First Republic
The Mani Pulite (Clean Hands) investigations, launched in Milan in February 1992, expose systemic corruption in the major governing parties — principally the Democrazia Cristiana and the Partito Socialista Italiano. By 1994 both parties have effectively dissolved. Italy's First Republic, the system of governance established in 1948, collapses. The resulting vacuum will reshape Italian politics for a generation.
Joins Forza Italia
Silvio Berlusconi founds Forza Italia in January 1994 and wins the March 1994 general election. The new party presents itself as a liberal-conservative force, attracting voters displaced by the DC's collapse. Crosetto joins Forza Italia and begins building the local political organisation in the Cuneo area that will enable him to stand for election. This is the beginning of his active political career.
First Elected to the Chamber of Deputies
In the general election of April 1996, Crosetto is elected as a Deputy (Camera dei Deputati) for the Cuneo constituency within the centre-right Casa delle Libertà coalition. The 1996 election is won by Romano Prodi's centre-left Ulivo coalition, placing Crosetto immediately in opposition. He begins his parliamentary career on defence and industrial policy committees — the specialisation that will define his subsequent professional trajectory.
Re-elected to the Chamber of Deputies
Crosetto is re-elected to the Chamber of Deputies in the May 2001 general election, which returns Berlusconi's centre-right coalition to government. The Berlusconi II government takes office; Crosetto begins his second parliamentary term, deepening his engagement with defence matters and consolidating his standing as one of Forza Italia's principal voices on the subject.
Re-elected; Centre-Right in Opposition
Elected to the Chamber of Deputies for a third consecutive term in the April 2006 general election. The narrow victory of Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition (Unione) places Crosetto back in opposition. He continues to serve on defence and industrial policy committees, maintaining and deepening his specialist knowledge. His parliamentary profile as a defence specialist is now well established.
Re-elected for a Fourth Term; Berlusconi IV Government
In the snap general election of April 2008, Crosetto is re-elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the fourth consecutive time. Berlusconi's Popolo della Libertà wins decisively, forming the Berlusconi IV government. This election paves the way for Crosetto's first executive role.
Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Defence
Appointed Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Defence under Minister Ignazio La Russa. Crosetto serves in this executive role throughout the life of the Berlusconi IV government, gaining direct access to the Ministry's internal workings and the senior military hierarchy. The period is marked by the global financial crisis and European sovereign debt crisis, forcing difficult trade-offs between defence investment and fiscal consolidation. Italy maintains deployments in Afghanistan (ISAF), Lebanon (UNIFIL) and Kosovo (KFOR) during this period.
Berlusconi IV Government Resigns; Monti Takes Over
Under sustained pressure from financial markets and European partners during the sovereign debt crisis, the Berlusconi IV government resigns in November 2011. Mario Monti, an economist and former EU Commissioner, forms a technocratic government with the backing of the major parties. Crosetto's Undersecretary role ends with the outgoing government. The episode marks the beginning of a period of political realignment in the Italian centre-right that will lead directly to the founding of Fratelli d'Italia.
Co-founds Fratelli d'Italia with Meloni and La Russa
In December 2012, Guido Crosetto joins Giorgia Meloni and Ignazio La Russa in founding Fratelli d'Italia — Alleanza Nazionale. The three co-founders break from the Popolo della Libertà, which is fragmenting under the combined weight of the Berlusconi IV's fall, the technocratic government and internal factional conflict. FdI presents itself as a conservative-nationalist force, drawing on the traditions of the post-war Alleanza Nazionale while claiming a modern, democratic identity. This is one of the most consequential political decisions of Crosetto's career.
FdI's First General Election; Crosetto Elected for Fifth Term
In its first general election, Fratelli d'Italia wins approximately 2% of the national vote — a modest but survivable result. Crosetto is elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the fifth time, this time on the FdI list. He serves as the party's principal parliamentary spokesperson on defence and security, maintaining the specialist profile he has built over three parliamentary terms. The 2013 elections produce a hung parliament; Enrico Letta forms a grand coalition government.
Elected President of AIAD
Crosetto is elected President of AIAD — the Federazione Aziende Italiane per l'Aerospazio, la Difesa e la Sicurezza — Italy's principal industry association for the aerospace, defence and security sector. He will hold this position for nine years, until 2022, building relationships with the sector's largest companies (including Leonardo, Fincantieri and Rheinmetall Italia) and developing a detailed understanding of procurement, export policy, European defence cooperation and NATO industrial engagement that few Italian politicians can match.
Re-elected; FdI Wins 4.4%
In the March 2018 general election, Fratelli d'Italia improves its national vote share to approximately 4.4%. Crosetto is again elected to the Chamber of Deputies. The election produces a historic result: the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) emerges as the single largest party. The centre-right coalition wins but cannot command a majority. Giuseppe Conte forms the first Conte government — a coalition between M5S and Lega — in which FdI remains in opposition.
FdI Rises Steadily in Opposition
The collapse of the first Conte government (M5S-Lega coalition) and the formation of the second Conte government (M5S-PD) leave FdI as the sole consistent opposition party. This distinctive positioning — refusing to enter any government coalition — proves electorally effective: FdI's poll ratings begin a sustained upward trajectory, from around 4% in 2018 to over 10% by 2020. Crosetto continues his dual role as parliamentarian and AIAD president.
Draghi Government Forms; FdI Remains in Opposition
The second Conte government falls in January 2021. Former ECB President Mario Draghi forms a national unity government supported by virtually all parties except FdI. Meloni's decision to refuse the government's support — making FdI the only opposition party in the Italian parliament — proves strategically decisive. FdI's poll ratings rise sharply through 2021, eventually surpassing 20%. The party consolidates its position as the leading force of the Italian right.
Draghi Government Falls; Elections Called
The Draghi government loses its majority in July 2022 when M5S, Lega and Forza Italia withdraw their support. President Mattarella dissolves Parliament and calls snap elections for 25 September 2022. FdI enters the campaign as Italy's leading party in opinion polls, with Giorgia Meloni widely expected to become Prime Minister. Crosetto ends his AIAD presidency to focus on the election campaign.
FdI Wins 26%; Crosetto Elected Senator
In the general election of 25 September 2022, Fratelli d'Italia wins approximately 26% of the national vote — its highest ever result and the largest share won by any single Italian party in the proportional era. The centre-right coalition (FdI, Lega, Forza Italia) wins a comfortable majority in both chambers. Crosetto stands for the Senate rather than the Chamber of Deputies and is elected as a Senator for the first time, marking his transition from the lower to the upper chamber after over two decades as a Deputy.
Appointed Minister of Defence
On 22 October 2022, Giorgia Meloni presents her government to President Sergio Mattarella. Guido Crosetto is appointed Minister of Defence — the post for which his entire professional career has been an almost systematic preparation. He takes office in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which is transforming European security and placing acute demands on NATO member governments. His brief: maintain and strengthen Italy's alliance commitments, support Ukraine within parliamentary mandate, modernise the Italian armed forces, and work toward meeting the NATO 2% GDP defence spending target.
Ministerial Work: Ukraine, NATO and Modernisation
Over the first two years of his ministerial tenure, Crosetto presides over multiple rounds of Italian military and material assistance to Ukraine, authorised by successive parliamentary mandates. He is Italy's most consistent government voice for strong support of Ukrainian resistance to Russian aggression. He advocates for increased Italian defence spending to meet NATO targets, navigating the tension between this commitment and Italy's fiscal constraints. Major procurement programmes — including the GCAP combat aircraft programme with Japan and the UK — proceed under his oversight. Italy's Mediterranean security role and European defence cooperation frameworks are recurring themes of his ministerial activity.
Confirmed as Minister of Defence in Meloni II
Following the Meloni government's continuation in office, Crosetto is reconfirmed as Minister of Defence. His continued tenure reflects both the confidence of the Prime Minister in his management of the portfolio and the absence of any obvious alternative candidate with comparable credentials. He continues to be one of the more prominent and outspoken members of the Italian cabinet on European security questions.
Sources and References
- Camera dei Deputati — official election results and parliamentary records — camera.it
- Senato della Repubblica — official parliamentary records — senato.it
- Governo Italiano — historical composition of Italian governments — governo.it
- Ministero della Difesa — ministerial profile and institutional history — difesa.it
- AIAD — official records and history — aiad.it
- Ministero dell'Interno — official election results archives — elezioni.interno.gov.it