peterlini was from 1972 to 1979, first secretary then leader of the youth movement junge generation of the südtiroler volkspartei. he was elected 1978 as youngest member to the regional parliament of trentino-alto adige/südtirol and the provincial parliament lantag of south tyrol. peterlini was a member of the regional parliament from 1978 till 1998 and served as its president from 1988 to 1998. he was chairman of the budget and economic legislative committee from 1983 to 1993. among his achievements were an innovative law for the youth (jugendförderungsgesetz), one for family support and the first italian law for animal protection. his most important work was the creation of a complementary pension system called pens plan for inhabitants of the trentino south-tyrol region, whose activities he developed and coordinated starting from 1989.