Matteo Russi

Matteo Bene Russi (October 24, 1988 - January 20, 2019) was an Itaterran politician and journalist who served as third and fifth Prime Minister of Itaterra. He originally assumed the position at 8:02PM EST on 14 January, 2019.

Childhood
Matteo Russi was born in Rievania General Hospital on October 24, 1988 to Sofia (née Romano) and Emilio Russi, both of whom were lower middle class social workers. Growing up, Matteo's family suffered greatly from the Dictatorship's authoritarian policies, many of which favoured the wealthy, pro-Dictatorship elites over poorer familes like the Russis. Emilio and Sofia were both active members of the underground Itaterra Socialist Party, and brought up Matteo as a heavily politicised child. This laid down the foundations for Matteo's political career later on in life. By the time he was thirteen, the Dictatorship had ended, but he was still an ardent progressive and socialist. At thirteen, he joined the youth organisation of the DPOI, "Young Democrats", and was immediately popular. In only the first few days, he made multiple friends, including liberals, other socialists and even some communists. Matteo has even said that he is still in touch with many of them to this day. Being a young, socialist political figure, he was naturally very rebellious towards the, mostly liberal, DPOI establishment. After he graduated from high school, he decided, along with his friends, to leave the DPOI and become independent of any political parties.

Adulthood
In 2006, Matteo moved to Milan, where he studied a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the city's University. There, he read the works of Marx and Engels, and became a Marxist socialist. After graduating at the top of his class from the University of Milan, he moved back to Rievania, bought an apartment and started a Marxist newspaper called The Daily Prole. Though the paper never achieved the popularity he had aimed for, it still had around 75 regular purchasers.

In 2019, however, this all changed. His paper gained a 220% increase in regular purchasers after he repeatedly and aggressively questioned the Prime Minister at a press conference in Duce Palace, gaining him what could have only been temporary popularity. But instead, he seized the opportunity and held a rally in Rievania on 11 January, selling over five hundred copies of The Prole in only the first hour. The rally, lasting six hours, however, was violently met by right-wing counter-protesters as well as Police, who promptly used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Shortly thereafter, martial law was declared in the City of Rievania.

A few days later, on 13 January, an election was called, and Matteo formed the Itaterra Labour Party at roughly 5:00PM EST. He was destroyed in his candidacy for the position of Chairman of the Legislature, but later won the 1st District of the Assembly and became Leader of the Opposition, with a majority in Parliament, but no positions of government. He was sworn into both roles at 7:14PM EST that same day. On 14 January at 8:02, he was sworn into office as Prime Minister.

On 20 January at roughly 11:03 PM EST, BAR assassins murdered him in his office, ending his tenure as Prime Minister.

Personal Life
On 13 March, 2015, Matteo began dating María Juárez, a Spanish woman whom he had met at the age of fifteen in the DPOI youth. María is a fellow member of the Labour Party and is a Party representative on the Rievania City Council Board. The couple are known to often have tea together, eating scones made using María's signature recipe. On 17 January at 2:55PM EST, María and Matteo were married.

One of Matteo's greatest allies is Ollys Dhylalin, the Slovenian Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and Deputy Prime Minister. As such, he is very loyal to Matteo, going so far as to vote against his own opinions to vote alongside the interests of the Party.

Incumbencies
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION - (7:14PM EST JAN 13 - 8:02PM EST JAN 14)

MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY - (7:14PM EST JAN 13 - 8:02PM EST JAN 14)

LEADER OF THE LABOUR PARTY - (5:00PM EST JAN 13 - 2:03PM EST JAN 20)

PRIME MINISTER OF ITATERRA (8:02 EST JAN 14 - 2:03PM EST JAN 20)