crosetto from 28 may 1990 to 14 june 2004 was the mayor of marene, a small village near cuneo where he lives, for 3 terms. in the 2001 general election he became a deputy of forza italia (fi), the center-right political movement member of epp and founded by the billionaire and media tycoon silvio berlusconi. crosetto was re-elected in 2006 as deputy and in 2008 he joined the new berlusconi's party the people of freedom (pdl) and he was elected again at the chamber of deputies. crosetto served as undersecretary at the ministry of defense in the berlusconi iv cabinet (2008-2011) and after berlusconi's resignation in november 2011, crosetto criticized the formation of the new cabinet led by pro-austerity economist mario monti. he founded in december 2012, with giorgia meloni and ignazio la russa, brothers of italy (fdi), a national conservative party in opposition to the pdl and to the pro-austerity monti.