His father, Carlo Rastrelli, was among the founders of Neapolitan fascism along with Aurelio Padovani, General Consul of the Fascist Militia M.V.S.N., and Prefectural Commissioner of L'Aquila in the regime of the Italian Social Republic.

After the war, Carlo Rastrelli served as Naples deputy mayor under Monarchist National Party's Achille Lauro.

During his tenure, in 1998, Campania was hit by a mudslide that struck the hilly area east of Naples and left in its wake 37 people dead and 71 more missing.

Environmentalists blamed decades of "bad land management" with people allowed to grub up trees and burn off scrub-land to increase pasture or clear areas for unregulated construction.

Campania president Rastrelli, who was serving also as special commissioner for hydro-geological issues, defended his record, saying "having the power to intervene is one thing.