In 2011, Monti was appointed Prime Minister of Italy as a technocratic government was formed to rescue the country from financial ruin. He then proceeded to found his own party in 2013, Civic Choice, which was the fourth largest in that year’s election.
He holds a degree in Economics from Bocconi University and pursued his graduate studies at Yale University under the supervision of Nobel Prize Laureate James Tobin. He went back to Italy to teach Economics at the University of Trento, followed by the University of Turin to then return as Rector at his alma mater, Bocconi University. His training as an economist led to his appointment as European Commissioner in charge of the Internal Market, Financial Services and Tax Policy in 1994, to then be named European Commissioner in charge of Competition in 1999. It is in the European Commission that he earned the nickname “Super Mario”, and for his work that he was honoured as Senator for Life by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.
