Ciriaco de Mita
Encyclopedia
Ciriaco Luigi de Mita is an Italian
politician. He served as the 47th Prime Minister of Italy
from 1988 to 1989 and is currently Member of the European Parliament
.
, in the Avellinese
hinterland.
As a young man he joined the Christian Democracy and entered politics. He rose through the ranks of the party, becoming a member of its council in 1956, a member of Parliament in 1963 and a member of the Italian cabinet in 1973. During the next decade he served as Minister of Industry and then as Minister of Foreign Trade.
De Mita became chairman of the party in 1982 at a time when its power was declining. He was reelected in 1986 with 60% support from the party. The Christian Democrats did well in the elections of 1987. De Mita waited a year to become Prime Minister, and then served as Prime Minister for a year, maintaining the party chairmanship. At the beginning of that service, on 16 April 1988, in Forlì
, Red Brigades
killed Senator Roberto Ruffilli, an advisor of de Mita.
De Mita returned in Parliament, after a lag of two years, in 1996 (and then re-elected in 2001 and 2006). He then joined the Italian People's Party
and later Democracy is Freedom - Daisy, party of which he is regional secretary for Campania
. He headed the Olive Tree's list in his region in 2006, and he participated to the transformation that coalition into a single party (the Democratic Party
). Following an attempt by the chairmanship (presided by Walter Veltroni
) at rejuvenating the ranks of the Democratic Party, he was refused a place on the ballot for the 2008 political elections, on the grounds that a total of 44 years and 9 months of active presence on the Italian Parliament may be long enough and that more space needed to be given to younger candidates. Offended by the decision, he left the party in retaliation, and joined the Pierferdinando Casini's Union of Christian and Centre Democrats party. After the 2008 elections, he was not elected at the Italian Senate, but he was nominated as the Campania
coordinator of the party.
De Mita won a seat in the European Parliament
in the June 2009 European election
; at age 81, he was the oldest candidate to win a seat in that election.
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...
politician. He served as the 47th Prime Minister of Italy
Prime minister of Italy
The Prime Minister of Italy is the head of government of the Italian Republic...
from 1988 to 1989 and is currently Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
.
Biography
De Mita was born in NuscoNusco
Nusco is a town and comune in the province of Avellino in the south of Italy, east of Naples, with c. 4,400 inhabitants. It is situated in the mountains between the valleys of the Calore lucano and Ofanto Rivers.-History:...
, in the Avellinese
Province of Avellino
The Province of Avellino is a province in the Campania region of Italy. The area is typified by many small towns and villages scattered across the province; in fact only two towns have a population over 20,000; its capital city Avellino and Ariano Irpino....
hinterland.
As a young man he joined the Christian Democracy and entered politics. He rose through the ranks of the party, becoming a member of its council in 1956, a member of Parliament in 1963 and a member of the Italian cabinet in 1973. During the next decade he served as Minister of Industry and then as Minister of Foreign Trade.
De Mita became chairman of the party in 1982 at a time when its power was declining. He was reelected in 1986 with 60% support from the party. The Christian Democrats did well in the elections of 1987. De Mita waited a year to become Prime Minister, and then served as Prime Minister for a year, maintaining the party chairmanship. At the beginning of that service, on 16 April 1988, in Forlì
Forlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
, Red Brigades
Red Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
killed Senator Roberto Ruffilli, an advisor of de Mita.
De Mita returned in Parliament, after a lag of two years, in 1996 (and then re-elected in 2001 and 2006). He then joined the Italian People's Party
Italian People's Party (1994-2002)
The Italian People's Party was a Christian democratic political party in Italy-History:The party emerged as the successor to Christian Democracy in January 1994...
and later Democracy is Freedom - Daisy, party of which he is regional secretary for Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
. He headed the Olive Tree's list in his region in 2006, and he participated to the transformation that coalition into a single party (the Democratic Party
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....
). Following an attempt by the chairmanship (presided by Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni, Knight Grand Cross, is an Italian writer, journalist and politician, who served as the first leader of the Democratic Party within the centre-left opposition, until his resignation on 17 February 2009. He served as Mayor of Rome from 2001 to 2008.-Biography:Walter Veltroni was...
) at rejuvenating the ranks of the Democratic Party, he was refused a place on the ballot for the 2008 political elections, on the grounds that a total of 44 years and 9 months of active presence on the Italian Parliament may be long enough and that more space needed to be given to younger candidates. Offended by the decision, he left the party in retaliation, and joined the Pierferdinando Casini's Union of Christian and Centre Democrats party. After the 2008 elections, he was not elected at the Italian Senate, but he was nominated as the Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
coordinator of the party.
De Mita won a seat in 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...
in the June 2009 European election
European Parliament election, 2009 (Italy)
European elections to elect 72 members of the European Parliament representing Italy were held on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2009, as decided by the Italian government on December 18, 2008...
; at age 81, he was the oldest candidate to win a seat in that election.