Achille Occhetto
Encyclopedia
Achille Occhetto nickname
d Akel, is an Italian
political figure.
. He served as the secretary-general
of the Italian Communist Party
(PCI) between 1988 and 1994 (which became the Democratic Party of the Left
halfway through his term in 1991, also known as the PDS, then became a major part of the Democrats of the Left
, which is now one of the elements of the Democratic Party (Italy)
).
He served as secretary of the youth communist movement from 1963 to 1966 and, subsequently, as regional secretary of the Italian Communist Party in Sicily
, distinguishing himself for his war against any kind of mafia
.
Appointed in 1986 as national coordinator of the PCI, he became then the party leader in 1988, succeeding to Alessandro Natta
. During his secretarship, the party witnessed the collapse of both the Berlin wall
and the communist regime in the Soviet Union
. He therefore declared the communist experience as over, and dissolved the PCI in order to form a new party, the PDS, characterized by a progressive left-wing stance.
This political shift (known in Italian politics as the Bolognina) was not accepted by approximately one third of the communist members, which refused to join the PDS and instead founded the Communist Refoundation Party.
In 1994, he challenged and was defeated by Silvio Berlusconi
in the 1994 election
, leading the Alliance of Progressives
; because of this negative result he then quit the party secretaryship.
He came actively back in politics for the 2004 European elections
, being elected to the European Parliament
on a joint ticket with anti-corruption
campaigner Antonio Di Pietro
, but he immediately resigned to be replaced by Giulietto Chiesa
. After the 2006 General election
he returned to the European Parliament by taking up one of the seats vacated by an elected Deputy, and sits as an Independent member of the Party of European Socialists
group.
It has been recently rumoured about a possible joining of Occhetto to the Communist Refoundation Party, but he sharply denied this possibility, affirming to have supposed just the birth of a "Left-Wing Refoundation", including Democrats of the Left
, Greens
, SDI
and the Communist Refoundation Party itself.
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d Akel, is an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
political figure.
Biography
Occhetto was born in TurinTurin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. He served as the secretary-general
Secretary-General
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
of the Italian Communist Party
Italian Communist Party
The Italian Communist Party was a communist political party in Italy.The PCI was founded as Communist Party of Italy on 21 January 1921 in Livorno, by seceding from the Italian Socialist Party . Amadeo Bordiga and Antonio Gramsci led the split. Outlawed during the Fascist regime, the party played...
(PCI) between 1988 and 1994 (which became the Democratic Party of the Left
Democratic Party of the Left
The Democratic Party of the Left was a post-communist, democratic socialist political party in Italy.-History:...
halfway through his term in 1991, also known as the PDS, then became a major part of the Democrats of the Left
Democrats of the Left
The Democrats of the Left was a social-democratic Italian political party and part of the Olive Tree electoral coalition, which merged with a number of centrist and leftist groups to form the Democratic Party on 14 October 2007...
, which is now one of the elements of the Democratic Party (Italy)
Democratic Party (Italy)
The Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in Italy, that is the second-largest in the country. The party is led by Pier Luigi Bersani, who was elected in the 2009 leadership election....
).
He served as secretary of the youth communist movement from 1963 to 1966 and, subsequently, as regional secretary of the Italian Communist Party in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, distinguishing himself for his war against any kind of mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
.
Appointed in 1986 as national coordinator of the PCI, he became then the party leader in 1988, succeeding to Alessandro Natta
Alessandro Natta
Alessandro Natta , was an Italian politician and secretary of the Italian Communist Party from 1984 to 1988.-Before and during the World War:...
. During his secretarship, the party witnessed the collapse of both the Berlin wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
and the communist regime in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He therefore declared the communist experience as over, and dissolved the PCI in order to form a new party, the PDS, characterized by a progressive left-wing stance.
This political shift (known in Italian politics as the Bolognina) was not accepted by approximately one third of the communist members, which refused to join the PDS and instead founded the Communist Refoundation Party.
In 1994, he challenged and was defeated by Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
in the 1994 election
Italian general election, 1994
An early national general election was held in Italy on March 27, 1994 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right alliance won handily the election for the Chamber and only narrowly lost that for the Senate....
, leading the Alliance of Progressives
Alliance of Progressives
The Alliance of Progressives was a left-wing electoral coalition in Italy in 1994.It was composed of:*the Democratic Party of the Left ;*the Communist Refoundation Party ;...
; because of this negative result he then quit the party secretaryship.
He came actively back in politics for the 2004 European elections
European Parliament election, 2004 (Italy)
Elections to the European Parliament were held in Italy on 12 and 13 June 2004. Italy's highly fragmented party system made it hard to identify an overall trend, but the results were generally seen as a defeat for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and a victory for the centre-left opposition...
, being elected to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
on a joint ticket with anti-corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
campaigner Antonio Di Pietro
Antonio Di Pietro
Antonio Di Pietro is an Italian politician. He was a Member of the European Parliament, an Italian Senator, and Minister of the Prodi Government...
, but he immediately resigned to be replaced by Giulietto Chiesa
Giulietto Chiesa
Giulietto Chiesa is an Italian journalist and politician, and was a Member of the European Parliament for North-West with the Independent - Di Pietro-Occhetto List Civil Society. Originally he represented Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, since 2006 - Party of European Socialists...
. After the 2006 General election
Italian general election, 2006
In the Italian general election, 2006 for the renewal of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Italy held on April 9 and April 10, 2006 the incumbent prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the center-right House of Freedoms, was narrowly defeated by Romano Prodi, leader of the center-left The...
he returned to the European Parliament by taking up one of the seats vacated by an elected Deputy, and sits as an Independent member of the Party of European Socialists
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
group.
It has been recently rumoured about a possible joining of Occhetto to the Communist Refoundation Party, but he sharply denied this possibility, affirming to have supposed just the birth of a "Left-Wing Refoundation", including Democrats of the Left
Democrats of the Left
The Democrats of the Left was a social-democratic Italian political party and part of the Olive Tree electoral coalition, which merged with a number of centrist and leftist groups to form the Democratic Party on 14 October 2007...
, Greens
Federation of the Greens
The Federation of the Greens is a green political party in Italy, which includes also a large eco-socialist faction. Since 2009 the party leader is Angelo Bonelli.-Early years:...
, SDI
Italian Democratic Socialists
The Italian Democratic Socialists were a small social-democratic political party in Italy. Led by Enrico Boselli, the party was the direct continuation of the Italian Socialists, the legal successor of the historical Italian Socialist Party...
and the Communist Refoundation Party itself.