Amintore Fanfani
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amintore Fanfani (February 6, 1908 - November 20, 1999) was an Italian career politician and former interim President of Italian Republic. He was one of the most famous Italian politicians of World War II, and a historical figure of the Christian Democracy.
[edit] Background
Fanfani was born in Pieve Santo Stefano, Tuscany to a large and humble family. He graduated in economics and business in 1930 from the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. He joined the italian fascist party. Later on, he wrote The Defense of Race, the official magazine of racism in Italy. During the years he spent in Milan, he knew Giuseppe Dossetti and Giorgio La Pira. For thirty years, they held meetings to discuss Catholicism and society.
By September 8, 1943, the group disbanded, and until the Liberation, Fanfani fled to Switzerland, where he organized university courses for Refugees Italians. Upon his return to Italy, he was invited to Rome with Giuseppe Dossetti, newly elected vice-secretary of the Christian Democracy.'
[edit] Political career
Fanfani was elected to the Constituent Assembly, and was a member of the Commission that drafted the text of the new Republican Constitution: "Italy is a democratic republic founded on work." He was Minister of Labor from 1947-1948 and again from 1948-1950; as well as Minister of Agriculture from 1951-1953 and Minister of the Interior in 1953. Fanfani was elected President of the UN General Assembly during 1965-1966; he is the only Italian to hold this office.
He was President of the Senate from 1968 to 1973, and in March 1972 he was appointed senator for life. Fanfani became secretary of the Christian Democrats for a second time in 1973; and he led the campaign for the referendum on repealing divorce. The defeat of the divorce referendum provoked his resignation. From 1982 to 1983, Fanfani was President of the Council for a fifth time. From 1985 to 1987, he was President of the Senate again. From April to July 1987, he was prime minister for the sixth time. Fanfani was elected to the prestigious post of chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate from 1994-1996.
[edit] References
- Out for the Big Win, Time Magazine, May 26, 1958.
- Giulio Andreotti, De Gasperi e il suo tempo, Milano, Mondadori, 1956.
- Nico Perrone, Il segno della DC, Bari, Dedalo, 2002, ISBN 88-220-6253-1.
- Luciano Radi, La Dc da De Gasperi a Fanfani, Soveria Manelli, Rubbettino, 2005.
