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Mario Adinolfi: from fighting in the name of the Crucifix to professional poker

Defence of Catholicism, the traditional family and conservative views: who is Mario Adinolfi?

21 September 2026

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Mario Adinolfi, fondatore del Popolo della Famiglia. (ANSA/Lara Gallina)

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Journalist, television writer, radio presenter, former MP and professional poker player: Mario Adinolfi, born in 1971 in Rome, fits all these descriptions. Soon, ‘prisoner’ will have to be added to the list. Yes, because the Roman, who was already under house arrest for unlawfully taking deposits, financial fraud and failing to file a tax return, has breached the court order by using social media.

But who is Mario Adinolfi?

Journalistic career

Adinolfi took his first steps in the 1980s, working in the editorial offices of Catholic daily newspapers such as *Europa* and *Avvenire*. After obtaining his press card in 1997, he worked at RAI, where he became a writer and presenter of radio and television programmes. In 2001, the journalist took on the role of head of communications at the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE).

The author of several essays and novels, in 2014 he launched his own daily newspaper with a Catholic-identity focus. However, the run of *La Croce* was short-lived: the print edition was available at newsagents for just four months, whilst the online version closed down a couple of years later.

With the advent of new media, Adinolfi turned his attention to blogging: he was one of the first Italians to make extensive use of it, both in journalism and politics.

Political career

It was the 1990s, and the 20-year-old Adinolfi entered the world of politics, first as a member of the Christian Democrats and then within the centre-left. Before standing as a candidate for mayor of Rome in 2001 with his own movement, Democrazia Diretta – securing just over 1,500 votes – the journalist was national president of the Giovani Popolari, the official youth organisation of the People’s Party.

After helping to establish the Generazione U association for the Democratic Party , the Rome-born politician became a Member of Parliament in 2012 , taking over from Pietro Tidei, who had resigned. However, due to differences of opinion with the party secretary, Pier Luigi Bersani, Adinolfi left the PD.

It was in 2016 that the journalist founded Il Popolo della Famiglia and became its president. Inspired by Christian values – of which he is a staunch supporter – the party was founded to provide political representation for the Family Days, the demonstrations in support of the traditional Christian family. However, the party’s popularity never really took off.

In 2022, Adinolfi tried again with a new coalition: Alternativa per l’Italia. Once again, the results at the polls were poor.

In stark opposition to the Draghi government’s policies and its handling of the Covid emergency, the programme also includes anti-Atlanticist themes.

Ideologies

A staunch conservative, Adinolfi opposes all those rights which he describes as ‘false myths of progress’: abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage and surrogacy.

Last June, the journalist made headlines for his participation in the rally ‘Either we understand, or we die. Let’s defend our faith, our families, Italia and our children’s future’, against the Islamic ‘threat’.

“This is who we are: a civilisation founded on the cross of Christ,” declared the Roman. Armed with a crucifix, Adinolfi fights for the values of the Catholic faith and upholds the view that a woman should be submissive to her husband, as he is the cornerstone of the family.

A passion for poker

Mario Adinolfi was the first Italian player to reach the final table of the World Poker Tour, an international poker tournament circuit Texas Hold’em, finishing sixth at the Venice Casino in 2009.

That same year, the journalist launched his own blog to chronicle his life as a professional poker player. His connection with poker also inspired a book: *La ricerca della costante*. Published in 2010, it is a novel entirely devoted to poker, with all its obsessions and quirks.