Stefano Antonio Donnarumma's time as CEO of Ferrovie dello Stato (Italian Railways) has come to an end after barely one year. The CEO will depart the firm in the coming days, according to an agreement reached this morning during a meeting at the Ministry of Transport with Minister Matteo Salvini. According to the ministry, the decision was reached to begin the company's "phase two" with an internal role, as the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) targets approach €25 billion. Salvini commended the manager, citing a €30 million profit increase and a 7% improvement in timeliness in June, despite the challenging supervision of 1,300 construction sites per day. However, Donnarumma's exit comes after weeks of substantial operational volatility caused by recurring network interruptions and governance unrest, including the recent departures of the CFO and two directors. Gianpiero Strisciuglio, Trenitalia's current CEO, is in pole position to succeed him. However, his candidacy is overshadowed by a request from prosecutors in Ivrea to indict him over the 2023 Brandizzo railway disaster, which occurred while he was head of RFI. Opposition parties immediately criticised the development, calling on Salvini himself to step down. The Democratic Party (PD) claims that his departure "certifies the government's failure" and describes the Lega leader as the "worst minister in history".