by InTrieste
The city council of Milan has decided to appeal the Italian government’s decision to rename Malpensa Airport after the late Silvio Berlusconi, a three-time prime minister and media mogul. The move, announced by Milan’s center-left mayor Beppe Sala on Friday, sets up a legal challenge to a controversial move that has divided Italy.
Milan will file the appeal with the Lombardy Regional Administrative Court (TAR) as early as next week. Mayor Sala said the decision to rename Malpensa after Berlusconi was rushed and bypassed important consultations, particularly with SEA, the company that manages the city’s two airports, Malpensa and Linate. He also noted that surrounding municipalities, many of which are also against the renaming, were not properly informed.
The renaming of the airport was first announced by Italy’s transport ministry on July 11, stating that Malpensa was “officially named after Silvio Berlusconi” and that the decision, supported by civil aviation authority ENAC, would take “immediate effect.”
However, the decision has faced significant opposition, particularly from Sala’s center-left Democratic Party (PD), which argued that Berlusconi’s polarizing legacy makes him an inappropriate namesake for one of Italy’s major international airports. An online petition opposing the renaming garnered over 170,000 signatures, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with the move.
The petition called on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to intervene and stop the renaming, arguing that Berlusconi, who died in 2023 at the age of 86, remains too controversial a figure. Berlusconi was known for his immense wealth, media empire, and a political career marked by numerous scandals, including multiple legal battles over corruption and tax evasion. His divisive legacy continues to stir strong emotions across Italy.
In response to the announcement of the appeal, Italy’s transport minister Matteo Salvini, a prominent figure in the far-right Lega party and a key proponent of the renaming, expressed his frustration. “Even after his death, the hatred and resentment towards Silvio Berlusconi does not stop,” Salvini posted on X (formerly Twitter). “From his hometown of Milan to all of Italy, he contributed with so much love and passion. Shame! Silvio, you are and will always remain in our hearts.”
The controversy over Malpensa’s renaming is the latest in a series of political and cultural clashes over the legacy of Berlusconi, whose contributions to Italian politics, media, and business are as influential as they are contested. His supporters see him as a champion of free enterprise and modern Italian conservatism, while critics argue his time in power was marked by deep ethical and legal failings.
The outcome of Milan’s legal appeal could have far-reaching implications, not only for the future of Malpensa Airport but also for how Italy continues to grapple with Berlusconi’s complex legacy.
As the appeal moves forward, it remains to be seen whether local opposition can halt the renaming, or whether Malpensa will continue to bear the name of one of Italy’s most controversial figures.
