MARA CARFAGNA: Former Topless Model, Current Italian Equal Opportunities Minister (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Today Italy's Minister of Equal Opportunity Mara Carfagna showed the G8 wives around Rome. This hostess with the most-ess, who was appointed to her current post by Berlusconi on May 8, 2008, is nicknamed Mara La Bella ("Maria The Beautiful").

Before breaking into politics, Mara competed for the Miss Italia crown, did some acting, and posed nude for several magazines. In 2006 Carfagna was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Forza Italia party. She's been active in curbing crime in her hometown of Salerno, and she championed legislation against street prostitution. And last year, Maxim ranked her as the "World's Hottest Politician." That's amore!

Check out 33-year-old Mara's move from model to minister.

With Michelle Obama and Sweden's First Lady Filippa Reinfeldt at the G8 Summit on July 8, 2009.

comments(187)

WATCH this interview with her from Italian television:

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Comments

[rbryanh]

03:27 AM on 07/13/2009

Nudity: occasionally exalted, frequently depressing, and never, ever significant per se.

Or did I miss the point? Is it _having_ breasts, not showing them, that's supposed to be remarkable for someone in an appointed political post?

[amorvincitomnia]

12:14 PM on 07/10/2009

When will society realize that taking taking off her top doesn't reduce a woman's IQ to a single digit? We can get naked and still be astute and/or qualified to do whatever we choose.

[InfinteShibumi]

06:40 PM on 07/10/2009

Taking off one's clothes does not bring to mind the person's brains (but maybe, the lack of them).

[ECB]

07:35 PM on 07/10/2009

She's still Hot !

[Cameleon]

12:26 AM on 07/10/2009

Excuse my spelling, been through a lot last in the last fore years

[Cameleon]

12:21 AM on 07/10/2009

My dads cousin who was illiterit, and had a drivers license, and had to take his wife along to read road signs. Use to pronounce spaghetti, skagetti. Something doesn't seem right here?

[rf dude]

10:30 PM on 07/09/2009

At least we still have

a Boehner...

[rbarry647]

08:48 PM on 07/09/2009

Proving once again that if politics had a bathing suite competition we would be living in a very different world.

[Mike Barden]

09:45 PM on 07/09/2009

but she posed naked.

[Tomhere]

06:16 PM on 07/09/2009

Si! E veramente una bella ragazza! O bella donna, pure...

[ECB]

09:25 PM on 07/09/2009

Yes ! This is one FINE Woman ! O Boy what a looker...... me like

That's my what I think you said.

[Palaver]

05:23 PM on 07/09/2009

Why are we so surprised? Politics have been moving in this inevitable direction.

The public spokeswomen holds the title of office--while government operates in the back rooms. Bush was the idiot we all wanted to have a beer with. And Obama made us swoon with his flowery speeches and powerless promises. So the Italians have different tastes? They prefer female models. That doesn't make the whole charade any more or any less vulgar to the political process.

[KriTiKiT]

04:56 PM on 07/09/2009

As Paris would say, that's hot

[Skeptiqone]

03:41 PM on 07/09/2009

Well, at least she was not in Argentina with someone else's husband!

[Alison Victoria]

02:29 PM on 07/09/2009

The reason it IS a big deal is that she is not qualified to do her job as equal opportunities minister. She's a babe and that is all. As minister of equal opportunities, she called gay pride in Rome problematic because "Rome is the capital of Christianity" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAjNCvnGt58. Rome is the capital of ITALY - gay and straight. And coming from someone from her background waving the flag of "Christianity" is a bit much to take. Worse yet, Berlusconi made Gelmini--another of his babes, this one with a law degree--the minister of education. What does she know about teaching, pedagogy, or school administration? He puts beautiful but unqualified women as ministers both for his jollies and so that he can control the ministries. He treats Italy like his own personal playground and my Italian friends are mortified by his behavior and his destruction of the country.

[petalsbloom]

06:19 AM on 07/10/2009

I agree. People who are enamored by her beauty should do some research on her politics and look into how exactly she rose from the ranks. It's a sad, sad world when women are appointed to major positions by virtue of their looks, and with the help of chauvinistic, sugar daddy politicians. And unless I misunderstand the purpose of Italy's Minister of Equal Opportunity position, Carfagna seems terribly ill-suited for the job (antifeminist, antigay?). My hope is that she is actually more qualified than she lets on, and that men don't take this as a serious example of the ideal female politician.

[Kathryn2]

09:28 AM on 07/11/2009

Mara is a law school school graduate and beautiful. No one out styles the Italians. Mara and Carla: rest the case.

[petalsbloom]

06:19 AM on 07/12/2009

Oh is that all it takes to get a high-ranking position in Berlusconi's Italy? In that case, I'm sending all my female law school friends out there! Apparently, it takes more than looks and a degree to get a job here ;-)

[TedMichaelMorgan]

02:26 PM on 07/09/2009

What in the world is the problem with you prudes? This is not a news story.

[philosopherkingtomas]

01:47 PM on 07/09/2009

we have a lot to learn from Italy !

[InfinteShibumi]

06:42 PM on 07/10/2009

Looking at Berlusconi's "reign," I say much to the contrary.

[etcetc]

01:18 PM on 07/09/2009

it Italy people are mature about sexuality and boobs, and showing boobs is no big deal. so there is no story here. bring topless beaches to america!

[thegiver]

04:21 PM on 07/09/2009

Did I hear boobs ? Did someone just say boobs ?

[Mike Barden]

09:49 PM on 07/09/2009

Nope, black bush.

[Joethepauper]

05:12 PM on 07/09/2009

I agree. I think there are a total of two topless beaches (one in Miami, and one in Austin). If boobs were an everyday occurance, they would'nt be a big deal. I'm not female, but if I were, I'd want the same rights in and outside of work as men have. One of those rights would be to be able to take off your shirt if it's hot outside, or if you don't want tanlines.......without gawkers, perverts, or cops harassing you. Look at the beaches in the South of France. They don't have problems associated with toplessness, and some of their beaches are fully nude. More freedom, not less. I am for banning the Burka in France, BTW, but I think the whole reason for the Burka is so the husband can beat his wife all he wants without everyone seeing bruises. I don't think that's hypocritical. Clothing freedom, except when the clothing hides identity, weapons, or brutality.

[HC4BO]

01:09 PM on 07/09/2009

Nice ...

At least now Palin has a hopeful future in Italy IF her shtick with the REAL America ends up being a dud ...