Giuseppe Conte Resigns from Italy's Covid Inquiry Commission Amid Mask Procurement Probe

Former prime minister Giuseppe Conte announced he will step down from the parliamentary commission investigating Italy’s Covid response and has asked to be heard on issues such as mask supplies and the commission’s leadership. He demanded the commission chair, Marco Lisei, resign, citing a lack of impartiality, and said he would present evidence on the procurement of Chinese masks that cost €1.25 billion but were later judged inadequate by courts in Gorizia and Rome.

The move follows pressure from the right‑wing Fratelli d’Italia bloc and a written request to the presidents of the Chamber and Senate for a prompt hearing. Speaker Lorenzo Fontana pledged Conte a swift return to the commission after the audition. The inquiry also examines €25 billion in public funds spent during 2020‑21, including €16 billion managed by former emergency commissioner Domenico Arcuri. Documents show several Five Star Movement parliamentarians acted as intermediaries in mask contracts, contradicting Conte’s earlier denials of any wrongdoing.

Conte defended Arcuri as a “hero” and reiterated his willingness to face questions about the pandemic’s management, while political tensions between the governing coalition and opposition parties continue.