Fermo Mino Martinazzoli
Encyclopedia
Fermo Mino Martinazzoli 'fermo 'miːno martinatˈʦɔːli (Orzinuovi
, 3 November 1931, Brescia
, 4 September 2011) was an Italian lawyer
, politician and former Minister. He was the last secretary
of the Christian Democracy
(Democrazia Cristiana, DC) party and the first secretary of the Italian People's Party
(Partito Popolare) founded in 1994.
in Pavia
, where he received a law degree. He then became a lawyer.
In the years 1960-1970s he assumed official roles in Brescia's DC, and became president of the province (1970-1972). He was also elected in the Italian Senate
, after which he became Minister of Justice in 1983, a position he held for three years. In 1986-1989 he was president of DC's deputies. In 1989-1990 he was Minister of Defence, but resigned (together with other ministers of DC's left wing) after the approval of a law which strengthened Silvio Berlusconi
's monopoly over private TV channels in Italy.
In 1992, when Democrazia Cristiana was being wiped out by the Tangentopoli
bribery scandal, Martinazzoli, generally respected as a honest and competent man, was elected national secretary. Despite his efforts, the political crisis which followed the corruption scandals forced him to dissolve DC in 1994. Martinazzoli then founded a new party, based on similar ideals, known as People's Party"(1994-2002) (Partito Popolare Italiano, or PPI), whose name recalled that of the ancestor of DC, which was founded in the early 20th century by Luigi Sturzo
.
In the new majoritarian
system, Martinazzoli's party placed itself in the center, between the left (which included the heirs of the Italian Communist Party
) and the new Silvio Berlusconi
's Forza Italia
, which had allied with the northern regionalist party, Lega Nord, and the post-fascist Alleanza Nazionale. His will not to ally with any of them caused numerous politicians (such as Pierferdinando Casini and Clemente Mastella
) to leave PPI and form the Centro Cristiano Democratico, which supported Berlusconi. At the 1994 elections, Martinazzoli formed a center alliance known as Pact for Italy
, including PPI and other democratic centre forces. However, the result of the election was disappointing, with PPI obtaining 11%, some one third of DC's consensus before its dissolution. In the same year, he accepted to run as mayor of Brescia for the new centre-left formation L'Ulivo, winning the final ballot and acting as mayor until 1998. In 2000 he lost the competition with Roberto Formigoni
for the presidency of Lombardy
.
After PPI was dissolved in 2002, Martinazzoli migrated to Mastella's UDEUR (2004), being appointed as its president. He resigned in 2005.
Orzinuovi
Orzinuovi is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy.-History:It was founded in 1193 as a boundary fortress with a statute of the comune of Brescia, with the name of "Orci Novi". Its history thenceforth closely follows that of Brescia, therefore sharing the Venetian...
, 3 November 1931, Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
, 4 September 2011) was an Italian lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, politician and former Minister. He was the last secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
of the Christian Democracy
Christian Democracy (Italy)
Christian Democracy was a Christian democratic party in Italy. It was founded in 1943 as the ideological successor of the historical Italian People's Party, which had the same symbol, a crossed shield ....
(Democrazia Cristiana, DC) party and the first secretary of 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...
(Partito Popolare) founded in 1994.
Career
Martinazzoli studied at Collegio BorromeoCollegio Borromeo
LAlmo Collegio Borromeo, recognized by the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research as a "highly qualified Cultural Institute", is the oldest such institution remaining in operation in Italy. Together with Collegio Ghislieri, with which there is goliardic rivalry, it is one of two historic...
in Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, where he received a law degree. He then became a lawyer.
In the years 1960-1970s he assumed official roles in Brescia's DC, and became president of the province (1970-1972). He was also elected in the Italian Senate
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
, after which he became Minister of Justice in 1983, a position he held for three years. In 1986-1989 he was president of DC's deputies. In 1989-1990 he was Minister of Defence, but resigned (together with other ministers of DC's left wing) after the approval of a law which strengthened 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...
's monopoly over private TV channels in Italy.
In 1992, when Democrazia Cristiana was being wiped out by the Tangentopoli
Tangentopoli
Tangentopoli is a term which was coined to describe pervasive corruption in the Italian political system exposed in the 1992-6 Mani Pulite investigations, as well as the resulting scandal, which led to the collapse of the hitherto dominant Christian Democracy party and its allies.-Popular distrust...
bribery scandal, Martinazzoli, generally respected as a honest and competent man, was elected national secretary. Despite his efforts, the political crisis which followed the corruption scandals forced him to dissolve DC in 1994. Martinazzoli then founded a new party, based on similar ideals, known as People's Party"(1994-2002) (Partito Popolare Italiano, or PPI), whose name recalled that of the ancestor of DC, which was founded in the early 20th century by Luigi Sturzo
Luigi Sturzo
Don Luigi Sturzo was an Italian Catholic priest and politician. Known in his lifetime as a "clerical socialist," Sturzo is considered one of the fathers of Christian democracy. Sturzo was one of the founders of the Partito Popolare Italiano in 1919, but was forced into exile in 1924 with the rise...
.
In the new majoritarian
Voting system
A voting system or electoral system is a method by which voters make a choice between options, often in an election or on a policy referendum....
system, Martinazzoli's party placed itself in the center, between the left (which included the heirs 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...
) and the new 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...
's Forza Italia
Forza Italia
Forza Italia was a liberal-conservative, Christian democratic, and liberal political party in Italy, with a large social democratic minority, that was led by Silvio Berlusconi, four times Prime Minister of Italy....
, which had allied with the northern regionalist party, Lega Nord, and the post-fascist Alleanza Nazionale. His will not to ally with any of them caused numerous politicians (such as Pierferdinando Casini and Clemente Mastella
Clemente Mastella
Mario Clemente Mastella is an Italian politician. He is currently leader of Popular-UDEUR, a minor centrist Italian party. He was Minister of Labour in the Berlusconi government from 10 May 1994 to 17 January 1995, and Minister of Justice in the Prodi government from 17 May 2006 to 17 January 2008...
) to leave PPI and form the Centro Cristiano Democratico, which supported Berlusconi. At the 1994 elections, Martinazzoli formed a center alliance known as Pact for Italy
Pact for Italy
The Pact of Italy was a centrist electoral coalition in Italy, launched by Mario Segni and Mino Martinazzoli in 1994....
, including PPI and other democratic centre forces. However, the result of the election was disappointing, with PPI obtaining 11%, some one third of DC's consensus before its dissolution. In the same year, he accepted to run as mayor of Brescia for the new centre-left formation L'Ulivo, winning the final ballot and acting as mayor until 1998. In 2000 he lost the competition with Roberto Formigoni
Roberto Formigoni
Roberto Formigoni is an Italian politician, and the current President of Lombardy Region, Italy.-Life and career:Graduated in Philosophy at the Catholic University of Milan, he studied political economy at the Sorbonne, in Paris....
for the presidency of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
.
After PPI was dissolved in 2002, Martinazzoli migrated to Mastella's UDEUR (2004), being appointed as its president. He resigned in 2005.