Musumeci was born in Militello in Val di Catania, Sicily. At the age of fifteen Musumeci became a member of Giovane Italia, the youth organization of “Italian Social Movement”, a neo-fascist and post-fascist political party in Italy. After completing his studies in communication sciences Musumeci began working as a banker at the UniCredit group a global banking and financial services company. Following his stint as a banker he began his career as a journalist. In the 1980’s Musumeci also taught at the Istituto Supreriore di Giiornalismo in Catania. Later Musumeci became one of the founders of the Istituto siciliano di Studi Politici ed economici. At the age of twenty he served as a municipal councilor in his home town of Militello in Val di Catania. Soon he became Deputy Mayor of Gravina di Catania and Castel de Judica. In 1990 he was elected Provincial Councilor of Catania and in 1994 as a member of the MSI and not yet forty he became President of the province of Catania. In 1995 Musumeci joined the National Alliance Party and represented the region as a Member of the European Parliament in Brussels. Committed to fighting crime Musumeci became president of the regional anti-mafia commission. Between the years 1995-2001 and again between 2005-2006 Musumeci received several threats from the mafia and was forced to live under guard. He is the founder and the current leader of Diventerà Bellissima, a regionalist party of Sicie anti-establishment 5-Star Movement candidate Giacarlo Canceller received 36.6% and ly, after having left National Alliance in 2005, and founded Sicilian Alliance. He ran unsuccessfully for the presidency of the Sicilian Region in 2006 obtaining 5.3% of the votes, and again in 2012 when he came second with 25.7%. Musumeci place in 2008 was on the infamous 666 seat in Strasbourg. He was a substitute for the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, substitute for the delegation to the EU-Turkey joint parliamentary committee.
Election
In November 2017 Musumeci won the Sicilian Regional Election with 39.9% of the vote. The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement candidate Giacarlo Canceller received 36.6% and the center-left candidate Fabrizio Micari representing the Democratic Party received 18.6%. Musumeci also secured a majority in the regional assembly when his center-right coalition which received 36 of 70 seats. Musumeci won the election with the support of Silvio Berlusconi, founder of the center-right party Forza Italia, who campaigned heavily for him in the runup to the election. Former PM Berlusconi, who was forced from office in 2011 due to the euro crisis and scandal of bunga bunga, promised the citizens of Sicily everything from a bridge over the Massina Straight to a casino in Taormina. Following Musumeci’s victory he claimed to “fight for Italy and show what we can do”.
President of Sicily
Besides battling crime Musumeci is grappling with pressing regional issues including the effects of climate change and devastating earthquakes on the Island. Sicily has been experiencing major weather events that have impacted the coast in Palermo recently. Musumeci will need to decide what to do with the inadequate infrastructure and those left homeless. Also, the community in Catania centered around Mount Etna has fallen victim to recent earthquakes that left many injured. The new President is also addressing the promised bridge across the Messina Straight.
Education
1973: Secondary school-leaving certificate in technical subjects
