Government

Santanchè resigns: used to paying my bills, my criminal record spotless

The letter to Meloni: 'I don't hide from you some bitterness at the outcome of my ministerial journey, but in my life I am used to paying my own bills and often those of others'

by Rome Editorial Staff

25 March 2026

La ministra del Turismo Daniela Santanchè arriva alla sede del ministero per il Turismo a Roma, 25 marzo 2026. ANSA/FABIO CIMAGLIA ANSA

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Daniela Santanchè has resigned as Minister of Tourism. "Dear Giorgia, as you officially wished, I hereby tender my resignation from the role of minister that you wanted to entrust to me and that I believe I have carried out to the best of my ability and without any contraindications," writes Daniela Santanchè in the letter sent to the premier Meloni in which, among other things, she says: 'I would like to emphasise that as of today my criminal record is immaculate and that for the dismissal affair there is not even a simple indictment'.

After making her resignation official, Santanchè will reportedly not return to the Ministry of Tourism headquarters tonight, where she remained until 3pm.

"I obey, I am used to paying my bills"

"Yesterday, perhaps abruptly (you will understand my state of mind), I represented to you my unwillingness to resign immediately because I wanted it to be separate from the comments on the referendum, because I would not like to be the scapegoat for a defeat that was certainly not determined by me, given also the result in Lombardy and even in my municipality. I also wanted my resignation to be separated from the contingent and very different affair involving Mr Delmastro, who is also paying a high price. Having clarified this, I have no difficulty in saying 'I obey' and doing what you ask. I do not hide from you some bitterness at the outcome of my ministerial path, but in my life I am used to paying my own bills and often those of others. I care more about our friendship and the future of our movement,' Santanchè writes again in the letter, which concludes with 'best regards, Daniela'.

La Russa: proximity to Santanchè for responsibility, her gesture not due

"I extend my sympathy to Daniela Santanché for the sense of responsibility she has shown and with which she has wanted to eliminate any kind of tension in the interest of Fratelli d'Italia and the entire centre-right. An undue gesture, made only after the Prime Minister's invitation, and despite the fact that her judicial situation is not only devoid of convictions but also of a simple committal to trial in the 'cassa integrazione' affair'. This was stated in a note by Ignazio La Russa, President of the Senate after the resignation announced by the Minister of Tourism.

Malan (FdI): gesture of great responsibility that we appreciate

"As desired by the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, today the Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanchè, tendered her resignation. A gesture of great responsibility that we appreciate and that comes after years of intense work at the helm of a key ministry for the national economy'. Thus the president of the Fratelli d'Italia senators, Lucio Malan. "Daniela Santanchè is leaving at a time when the tourism sector is more vital than ever, constantly growing and among the most dynamic in Europe. We therefore thank her for what she has done over the years and acknowledge her contribution to relaunching Italia's tourism in the world,' Malan concludes.

Conte: Meloni to explain in Parliament institutional degradation for which she is responsible

"Santanchè has resigned, after Meloni shielded her from Parliament for three years, even saving her from our no-confidence motions. It took 15 million of your votes in the referendum to get her resignation only today. We have a tottering government and a very weak Prime Minister, who must explain the institutional degradation for which she is responsible. She must do so in front of the country and Parliament'. So says the president of the 5 Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, speaking to reporters in front of Montecitorio about the resignation of the Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanchè.

Italia Viva: implosion evident, premier explains

Daniela Santanchè's resignation "brings to a close an unprecedented political fact, that is, the no-confidence manifested by the premier in the press, but it leaves all the political consequences of the case in the field, indeed in some respects it dilutes them. We are not very interested in the internal settling of scores within Fratelli d'Italia, in the bunker-like climate that reigns in those parts, in Meloni's strategy that suddenly rediscovers an old-fashioned justicialism after professing to be a guarantor until yesterday in order to try to rebuild her image and perspective. We are concerned, instead, by the evident state of implosion of the government, the majority and the PM's party, which inevitably takes its toll on the institutions and the country. We are concerned that the Prime Minister does not understand how the mistrust of 15 million Italians in the ballot box was given to her, and there can be no artifices aimed at finding scapegoats and internal retaliation to mitigate this fact. At this point it seems inescapable that Giorgia Meloni should assume all political and institutional responsibilities for what is happening, and appear before Parliament instead of continuing to run away'. This was supported by the vice-presidents of Italia Viva Senator Enrico Borghi and MP Davide Faraone.