Puglia mourns death of former health minister and senator Alberto Tedesco

Alberto Tedesco, a 77‑year‑old former regional health assessor and former senator, died on 2 August 2026 after a long illness. He began his political career in 1985 as a regional councilor for the Italian Socialist Party, later serving four consecutive terms in the Puglia Regional Council and holding the health portfolio in Nichi Vendola’s regional government from 2005 to 2009.

Tedesco was elected to the Italian Senate with the Democratic Party and later rejoined the Italian Socialist Party. He was investigated in 2009 for alleged corruption in the regional health system but was cleared of all charges in 2013. Tributes poured in from regional leaders, including President of the Regional Council Toni Matarrelli, President of the Region Antonio Decaro, and Avanti PSI, which called him “a great socialist” and “a pillar of Puglia’s political life.”