Paolo Cirino Pomicino, a figure of the Christian Democrats and one of the best-known protagonists of the so-called First Republic, passed away at the age of 86. Pomicino held positions such as the Presidency of the Budget Commission of the Chamber and the role of Budget Minister, becoming Giulio Andreotti’s trusted man for financial matters.
His political life was marked by Tangentopoli, which led to the end of the traditional party system and saw him involved in numerous legal proceedings linked to illicit financing. Even after the decline of the DC in 1994, Pomicino never abandoned the public and political scene, continuing to actively participate in the debate.
Paolo Cirino Pomicino: biography and career
Born in Naples on 3 September 1939, into a middle-class family, Paolo Cirino Pomicino graduated in Medicine and Surgery with top marks and honours. Before entering politics, he began working at the Cardarelli Hospital in Naples.
The turning point came in 1970 when, driven by his post-1968 trade union commitment, he left his job to join the City Council in Naples among the ranks of the Christian Democrats.
He was elected deputy for the first time in 1976 and held the position until 1994. In the 1980s he became Giulio Andreotti’s “key man” for the management of economic strategies: between 1983 and 1988 he held the role of President of the Chamber Budget Commission.
A role that brought him into the Government, first as Minister of the Public Function with De Mita and then, between 1989 and 1992, as Minister of the Budget and Economic Planning in the Andreotti VI and VII executives.
Judicial events
Paolo Cirino Pomicino remained involved in the Mani Pulite investigation. Like many protagonists of the First Republic, the former minister came under scrutiny for the financing system of the Christian Democrats, particularly in the South.
Over the years, Pomicino has been involved in 42 criminal cases. Among the various charges, the former DC exponent received some definitive convictions, such as that for illicit party financing, for which he was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison.
Earnings and assets: the debate on annuities
Paolo Cirino Pomicino is linked to the parliamentary annuity system. Having gone through many legislatures from 1976 to 1994, even returning in the 2000s, the former Budget Minister has accrued significant pension benefits.
In 2018, on the occasion of the proposal to cut annuities (with reductions expected between 40% and 60%), Pomicino expressed firm opposition, defining these measures as a “reduction of the freedom of parliamentarians”.
At the time of the reform, the data reported indicated a net annuity of around 4,700 euros per month for the former DC exponent, a figure which with recalculation would have dropped to around 2,500 euros. Pomicino defended the institution of the annuity, arguing that it should not be equated with a common pension, but understood as a guarantee of independence for the legislator, desired by the founding fathers to protect the autonomy of politics.
