Giorgio Napolitano was a known Italian politician who served as the President of Italy from 2006 to 2015. Born on June 29, 1925, he holds the record for being both the longest-serving and longest-lived president in the history of the Italian Republic, which has been in existence since 1946. Napolitano was a prominent figure in Italian politics, and because of his influential role, he was sometimes referred to as "Re Giorgio" ("King Giorgio").
Early Life and Education
Naples and Early Years
Napolitano was born in Naples, Campania. His father, Giovanni, was a liberal lawyer and poet, while his mother, Carolina Bobbio, came from a noble Piedmontese family.
Education and Early Interests
He attended the Classical Lyceum Umberto I of Naples before his family moved to Padua, where he graduated from Lyceum Titus Livius. Later, he studied law at the University of Naples Federico II. Napolitano was also an actor enthusiast and took part in several plays at the Teatro Mercadante in Naples.
Political Beginnings
Initial Political Affiliation
In 1945, after participating in the Italian resistance movement, Napolitano joined the Italian Communist Party. Over the years, he became associated with its various successors, including the Democratic Party of the Left and Democrats of the Left.
Parliamentary Career
He was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1953. Napolitano was president of the Chamber of Deputies from 1992 to 1994 and served as the Minister of the Interior from 1996 to 1998 during the first Prodi government.
International Relations
Notably, in 1978, he became the first high-ranking leader of a Communist party to visit the United States.
Role in Italian Politics
Symbol of the Second Republic
Although he was a key figure in the First Italian Republic, Napolitano did not participate in the Constituent Assembly of Italy that drafted the Italian constitution. He is considered a symbol of the Second Italian Republic, which emerged after the Tangentopoli scandal of the 1990s.
Ideological Stance
He was a leading member of migliorismo, a reformist, moderate, and modernizing faction within the Communist Party.
Presidential Tenure
First Term
Napolitano was appointed a senator for life in 2005 by then-president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. He was elected President of Italy in May 2006, becoming the first former Communist to hold this office. During his first term, he oversaw both centre-left and centre-right governments.
Second Term
In 2013, at the age of 87, Napolitano was re-elected for a second term to help the country navigate through a parliamentary deadlock. He was the first Italian president to be re-elected. During his second term, he invited Enrico Letta to propose a grand coalition government and later mandated Matteo Renzi to form a new government.
Resignation
In January 2015, citing age factors, Napolitano resigned from the presidency and resumed his Italian Senate seat.
Legacy and Death
Controversies and Achievements
Napolitano was often criticized for transforming the presidential role into a more political and executive one. However, supporters argue that he saved Italy from the brink of default during the European debt crisis.
Death
Giorgio Napolitano passed away on September 22, 2023, at the age of 98. At the time of his death, he was the only living former Italian president, as well as the longest-lived president on record.
Giorgio Napolitano's life and career were intertwined with the fabric of Italian politics. From his early years as a member of the Italian Communist Party to his unprecedented two terms as President of Italy, Napolitano was a significant figure who left an indelible impact on Italy's political landscape. His presidency was marked by attempts to stabilize Italy during a time of financial and political turmoil. His legacy is that of a leader who worked to steer Italy through some of its most challenging periods, making him one of the most pivotal figures in modern Italian history.
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