Italian MP under witness protection, Piera Aiello, could lose her seat for using her real name

An Italian MP faces losing her seat in parliament for being elected under her birth name, and after claiming the rights to her true identity.

The case involves Piera Aiello, the first anti-mafia witness elected to the Chamber of Deputies in Italy's history.

For 27 years, Aiello lived in a secret location under an assumed name as part of a witness protection programme hiding her from the Mafia.

But the 52-year-old, whose testimonies against the notorious crime syndicate led to dozens of arrests, cast aside her secret life when she was elected to parliament in March last year with the anti-establishment Five Star Movement.

Born in the Sicilian town of Partanna, Aiello says she was later forced to marry Nicola Atria, the son of local Mafia boss Vito Atria, when she was only 18 years old.

Both father and son were killed within a few years, having become victims of the feud between old and new mafiosos in the province of Trapani — it was a bloody war in which Matteo Messina Denaro, the most wanted Mafia boss who is still on the run, also took part.

Aiello's father-in-law Vito was murdered around a vineyard in Partanna just days after she married his son, while her husband Nicola was killed in front of her in the home they shared several years later.

In 1991, when she was widowed, Aiello decided to collaborate with judicial authorities together with Nicola's sister, Rita Atria.

But this move, to inform against the group that her late husband was a huge part of, was a feared one — and she was forced to go into hiding and discard her former identity.

While in hiding, Aiello and her sister-in-law formed a close friendship with judge Paolo Borsellino, who was murdered by the Mafia a year later.

Feeling desperate after the death of her confidante, Rita Atria took her own life by jumping off a balcony in Rome a week later.

Almost three decades after those events, and after a half-life spent in secret, Piera Aiello decided in January 2018 to return to using her birth name in order to run for elections with the Five Star Movement.

But here comes the issue.

In order to take part to the elections, Aiello was required to present electoral and residence certificates released by the Municipality of Partanna.

During the election campaign — and on the ballot paper — she used her birth name that, theoretically, no longer exists, and can no longer be certified in any municipality.

It is not clear how the electoral certificate was printed by the Registry Office of her municipality if her name was no longer certifiable.

We have contacted the municipality of Partanna for comment on this, but are yet to receive a response.

In 1991, when she was widowed, Aiello decided to collaborate with judicial authorities together with Nicola's sister, Rita Atria.

But this move, to inform against the group that her late husband was a huge part of, was a feared one — and she was forced to go into hiding and discard her former identity.

While in hiding, Aiello and her sister-in-law formed a close friendship with judge Paolo Borsellino, who was murdered by the Mafia a year later.

Feeling desperate after the death of her confidante, Rita Atria took her own life by jumping off a balcony in Rome a week later.

READ MORE: Mapping the mafia: Italy's web of criminal gangs explained
Almost three decades after those events, and after a half-life spent in secret, Piera Aiello decided in January 2018 to return to using her birth name in order to run for elections with the Five Star Movement.

But here comes the issue.

In order to take part to the elections, Aiello was required to present electoral and residence certificates released by the Municipality of Partanna.

During the election campaign — and on the ballot paper — she used her birth name that, theoretically, no longer exists, and can no longer be certified in any municipality.

It is not clear how the electoral certificate was printed by the Registry Office of her municipality if her name was no longer certifiable.

We have contacted the municipality of Partanna for comment on this, but are yet to receive a response.