Maria Tripodi is the current Undersecretary of State to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. She is a former member of the Italian Society of Military History (SISM) and a consultant to public and private institutions.

She started her political career as a member and leader of youth movements and organisations.

In the 16th Legislature, Tripodi was the Popolo della Libertà (PDL) group’s expert in the Chamber of Deputies in the drafting of bills and legal opinions. She has held various roles of coordination and liaison with regional government bodies.

In the general election of 25 September 2022, Maria Tripodi was one of the youngest candidates for the Senate of the Republic, where she came first of the non-elected Forza Italia members in the Calabria multi-member constituency. In 2019 she was appointed by the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Roberto Fico, as a member of the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni.

She graduated in International and European Community Political Studies, specialising in International Relations, from the University of Rome “La Sapienza”. She also obtained a Master’s Degree in Economic Security, Geopolitics and Intelligence at The Italian Society for International Organization (SIOI).