Malpensa Airport to Remain Named After Silvio Berlusconi as Court Rejects Municipal Appeals

The Lombardy Regional Administrative Court has rejected appeals filed by the City of Milan and three municipalities in the Varese area, upholding the decision to name Malpensa Airport after Silvio Berlusconi.

The court dismissed legal challenges brought by Milan and the administrations of Cardano al Campo, Somma Lombardo, and Samarate, confirming that the naming process followed proper administrative procedures.

Marco Bestetti, Lombardy regional councilor for Brothers of Italy (FdI), expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating that it validates the correctness of the process initiated by the Lombardy Regional Council shortly after Berlusconi’s death.

Bestetti emphasized that he had secured the Lombardy Region’s appearance in court to defend the naming decision, describing the appeals as having a “clearly political and ideological undertone” that he found unacceptable.

The court’s decision means Malpensa Airport will retain its dedication to Silvio Berlusconi, despite opposition from local authorities who had argued the move was divisive and improperly executed.

The naming initiative was approved by the Lombardy Regional Council and implemented with the support of Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, who had advocated for the tribute following Berlusconi’s death in June 2023.