Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati was born on 12 August 1946 in Rovigo. She received her degree in law from the University of Ferrara. From 2004 to 2006 she was a Junior State Secretary in the Ministry of Health of Berlusconi's second and third cabinets and from May 12, 2008 to November 16, 2011- in the Ministry of Justice of the fourth Berlusconi’s cabinet.

On 14 September 2014 she was elected to the Supreme Council of Magistracy by parliamentary quota, receiving 489 votes in a joint session of both houses of parliament (about 75%). In 2018, she was re-elected to the Senate.

On 4 March 2018, re-elected to the Senate in the Venice Region following parliamentary elections.

On March 24, 2018 she was elected President of the Senate with 240 out of 8319 votes of senators and became the first woman in the history of Italy to hold this position (the second largest position in the country), and top civil servant representative among women in Italian history.

On October 18, First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva met with President of the Senate of the Italian Republic Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati.

On October 19, upon the decision of the Scientific Council of the Azerbaijan University of Languages, President of the Senate of the Italian Republic Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, been to Baku within the framework of the XVIII World Italian Language Week, was awarded AUL Honorary Doctor title for her contribution to the development of social, political, humanitarian, scientific, cultural and warm friendly relations between the two countries.