Berlusconi ally back in power

By Benedetto Cataldi
BBC Monitoring

A controversial former interior minister who was in charge of police during violence at the Genoa G8 summit in 2001 has been reappointed to the Italian cabinet.

Mr Scajola (right) is a close ally of the prime minister

Claudio Scajola, one of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's closest aides and a leading member of his party Forza Italia, was forced to resign amid acrimony in July 2002.

He left the government after he was quoted as using disparaging remarks about Marco Biagi, a labour ministry aide gunned down in March 2002 by the Red Brigades, a far-left guerrilla group.

His comments attracted particular controversy since Mr Scajola was widely perceived as having failed to protect Mr Biagi.

Mr Scajola removed Mr Biagi's one-time constant police escort in July 2001 and subsequently refused to reinstate it - in spite of Mr Biagi's numerous requests to do so after threats to his life.

Mr Scajola had already been under fire over his handling of the violence at the Genoa G8 summit in July 2001, which took place amid widespread allegations of police brutality.

Two of the most notorious incidents occurred when police killed an Italian protester and raided a school which was being used as an information centre.

Hard times

More recently, Mr Scajola was the man in charge of Forza Italia's campaign for this spring's local elections - which were rather disappointing for Mr Berlusconi's centre-right ruling coalition.

Mr Scajola is taking on the vacant post of minister for the implementation of government activities at a difficult time for the ruling coalition.

It has been beset by bitter quarrels since faring poorly at the local elections and the government was forced to defend a no confidence motion in the justice minister on Tuesday.

Mr Berlusconi probably needs a trusted ally at his side at such a difficult time.

Mr Scajola's return has so far been unanimously welcomed by Mr Berlusconi's coalition partners, even though last year they insisted on driving him out.

At the time, Mr Scajola was quoted as saying that Mr Biagi was "a pain in the arse who wanted his consultancy contract renewed".

It remains to be seen whether Mr Scajola's lack of diplomatic skills will strain relations within the Italian Government even further.