Marco Rizzo

{{short description|Italian politician}} {{Multiple issues| {{lead rewrite|date=March 2022}} {{BLP sources|date=March 2022}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Marco Rizzo | image = Marco Rizzo 2001.jpg | caption = | office2 = General Secretary of the Communist Party | term_start2 = 3 July 2009 | term_end2 = 21 January 2023 | predecessor2 = ''Office established'' | successor2 = Alberto Lombardo | office3 = Member of the European Parliament | term_start3 = 20 July 2004 | term_end3 = 13 July 2009 | constituency3 = North-West Italy | office4 = Member of the Chamber of Deputies | term_start4 = 15 April 1994 | term_end4 = 19 July 2004 | constituency4 = Turin (1994–1996) Florence-Pontassieve (1996–2004) | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|10|12|df=y}} | birth_place = Turin, Piedmont, Italy | profession = Politician | party = {{Nowrap|PCI (1981–1991) PRC (1991–1998) PdCI (1998–2009) PC (2009–2023) DSP (since 2024)}} }} '''Marco Rizzo''' (born 12 October 1959 in Turin) is an Italian politician, who serves as leader of Sovereign Popular Democracy (DSP) since 2023. From 2009 to 2023, Rizzo also served as general secretary of the Communist Party (PC).

==Biography== A graduate in political science in 1985, he was a lecturer in vocational guidance (1985–1994).

From 1986 to 1991, he was a member of the Turin Province party executive of the Italian Communist Party (PCI), and joined the Communist Refoundation Party (PRC) in 1991, serving as its representative to the Council of the Turin Province until 1995. Between 1994 and 2004, he served in the Chamber of Deputies of Italy. From 1995 to 1998, he was coordinator of the National Secretariat of the PRC, then left to become a founding member and Italian Parliament group leader of the Party of Italian Communists (until 2004).

In July 2009, after his expulsion from the Party of Italian Communists (having supported the IdV's candidate Gianni Vattimo in the 2009 European election), he founded a new party called ''Communists – Popular Left'' (then renamed Communist Party).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2009/luglio/03/Marco_Rizzo_fonda_suo_partito_co_9_090703018.shtml|title = Archivio Corriere della Sera}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Radicale|first=Radio|date=2009-07-03|title=Marco Rizzo presenta il movimento politico "Comunisti - Sinistra popolare"|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/282964/marco-rizzo-presenta-il-movimento-politico-comunisti-sinistra-popolare|access-date=2021-10-16|website=Radio Radicale|language=it}}</ref> Marco Rizzo was a Member of the European Parliament for the North-West with the Party of Italian Communists, Member of the Bureau of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left and vice-chair of the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.

== Political positions == Rizzo said that he declines his being Marxist in "popular sovereignism", and that would go to Europe (in the European Parliament) "with Sahra Wagenknecht, with Robert Fico [...], also with Orban".<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.la7.it/laria-che-tira/video/david-parenzo-a-marco-rizzo-sei-ancora-comunista-sei-passato-da-cossutta-a-orban-sono-un-sovranista-04-06-2024-545839 |title=David Parenzo a Marco Rizzo: "Sei ancora comunista? Sei passato da Cossutta a Orbán", "Sono un sovranista popolare rivoluzionario" |language=it |access-date=2026-02-09 |via=www.la7.it}}</ref>

Rizzo has often been critical of the LGBTQIA+ community and inclusivity,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Romano |first=Alba |date=2024-06-18 |title=«Ho un'auto transgender, si sente motorino». Il post di Marco Rizzo sulla lite con il vigile |url=https://www.open.online/2024/06/18/marco-rizzo-lgbt-auto-motorino-multa-polemiche/ |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=Open |language=it-IT}}</ref> complaining about the excessive presence of gay and black characters in films and advertising.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-09 |title=La rivendicazione scorretta di Marco Rizzo: "Mi piace la gnocca. Basta minoranze che impongono gusti sessuali" |url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2024/10/09/video/la_rivendicazione_scorretta_di_marco_rizzo_mi_piace_la_gnocca_basta_minoranze_che_impongono_gusti_sessuali-423544766/ |access-date=2026-02-09 |website=la Repubblica |language=it}}</ref>

Rizzo has repeatedly denied climate change and its anthropogenic origin.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.la7.it/coffee-break/video/clima-marco-rizzo-negazionista-attacca-paolo-sottocorona-capisco-che-devi-larorare-sei-stato-12-12-2023-518234 |title=Clima, Marco Rizzo 'negazionista' attacca Paolo Sottocorona: "Capisco che devi larorare, sei stato crocifisso sei mesi fa" |language=it |access-date=2026-02-09 |via=www.la7.it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rizzo |first=Marco |date=8 July 2025 |title=Ancora con questa balla climatica… ci avete rotto! |url=https://www.facebook.com/reel/691664163860785 |access-date=9 February 2026 |website=Facebook}}</ref>

==Works== * {{cite book |last1=Rizzo |first1=Marco |title=Perché ancora comunisti : le ragioni di una scelta |date=2007 |publisher=Baldini Castoldi Dalai |location=Milano |isbn=978-88-6073-329-0 |language=Italian}} * {{cite book |last1=Rizzo |first1=Marco |title=Il golpe europeo : i comunisti contro l'Unione |date=2012 |publisher=Baldini & Castoldi |location=Milano |isbn=978-8867620876 |language=Italian}} * {{cite book |last1=Rizzo |first1=Marco |title=URSS. A 100 anni dalla Rivoluzione Sovietica, i perché della caduta |date=2017 |publisher=Male Edizioni |isbn=978-88-85439-46-7 |language=Italian}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Wikiquote}} *{{MEP}} *{{Declaration of financial interests of the 6th term|28410_19-07-2004.PDF|it}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rizzo, Marco}} Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Turin Category:Conservatism and left-wing politics Category:Italian Communist Party politicians Category:20th-century Italian politicians Category:Communist Refoundation Party politicians Category:Party of Italian Communists MEPs Category:MEPs for Italy 2004–2009 Category:Party of Italian Communists politicians