Giuliano Ferrara
Encyclopedia
Giuliano Ferrara is an Italian
politician, journalist, founding editor of Il Foglio
, and TV presenter.
After the militancy in the PCI
and PSI
, in the nineties has become a supporter of Silvio Berlusconi
, and finally one of the most intellectual representatives of Italian Theoconservativism
: his father Maurizio was a communist senator, and Giuliano was active in the Italian Communist Party
until his twenties. In 1982 he broke with the party and became vocal as an ex-Communist. He initially gravitated toward socialism, but later moved toward social conservatism
. He was in the Berlusconi I Cabinet
and founded the newspaper Il Foglio
.
In 2008 he ran in the Italian general election
on a platform favoring a moratorium on abortion, as part of the "devout atheist" (cognate of Theoconservatism) Italian political current, of which he's one of the most prominent leaders. He also has expressed admiration for Pope Benedict XVI
.
These views might seem surprising, as he is an atheist and in his Communist period, three of his partners had abortions, although they could be related to his reported experience of Klinefelter's Syndrome
. They may also be attributable to his veneration for German-American neoconservative scholar, Leo Strauss
, who held a similarly elevated idea of religion as social ethics.
in 1989, criticizing from the pages of Corriere della Sera
the lack of responsibility of the male which follows the introduction of the first abortion pills. In the following years, while remaining a non-believer, takes a position closer to that of the Catholic Church in support of issues such as traditional family and the rights of the unborn. It argues for abstention in the referendum on assisted procreation of 12 and 13 June 2005.
, while heightening the contrast feature of Islamist fundamentalism.
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, journalist, founding editor of Il Foglio
Il Foglio
Il Foglio is a Italian centre-right daily newspaper, with circulation of about 13,000 copies per day. It was founded in 1996 by the Italian journalist and politician Giuliano Ferrara, after he left as editor of the magazine Panorama- Characteristics :...
, and TV presenter.
After the militancy in the PCI
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 PSI
Italian Socialist Party
The Italian Socialist Party was a socialist and later social-democratic political party in Italy founded in Genoa in 1892.Once the dominant leftist party in Italy, it was eclipsed in status by the Italian Communist Party following World War II...
, in the nineties has become a supporter of 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...
, and finally one of the most intellectual representatives of Italian Theoconservativism
Life and career
He came from a family of CommunistsCommunism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
: his father Maurizio was a communist senator, and Giuliano was active in 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...
until his twenties. In 1982 he broke with the party and became vocal as an ex-Communist. He initially gravitated toward socialism, but later moved toward social conservatism
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
. He was in the Berlusconi I Cabinet
Berlusconi I Cabinet
The Berlusconi I Cabinet was the cabinet of the government of Italy from 10 May 1994 to January 17, 1995.It was composed of 26 ministers and 38 under-secretaries, for a total of 64 members.Composition of the government:...
and founded the newspaper Il Foglio
Il Foglio
Il Foglio is a Italian centre-right daily newspaper, with circulation of about 13,000 copies per day. It was founded in 1996 by the Italian journalist and politician Giuliano Ferrara, after he left as editor of the magazine Panorama- Characteristics :...
.
In 2008 he ran in the Italian general election
Italian general election, 2008
A snap general election was held in Italy on 13 April and 14 April 2008. The election came after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament on 6 February 2008 following the defeat of the government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi in a January 2008 Senate vote, and the unsuccessful tentative...
on a platform favoring a moratorium on abortion, as part of the "devout atheist" (cognate of Theoconservatism) Italian political current, of which he's one of the most prominent leaders. He also has expressed admiration for Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
.
These views might seem surprising, as he is an atheist and in his Communist period, three of his partners had abortions, although they could be related to his reported experience of Klinefelter's Syndrome
Klinefelter's syndrome
Klinefelter syndrome, 46/47, XXY, or XXY syndrome is a condition in which human males have an extra X chromosome. While females have an XX chromosomal makeup, and males an XY, affected individuals have at least two X chromosomes and at least one Y chromosome...
. They may also be attributable to his veneration for German-American neoconservative scholar, Leo Strauss
Leo Strauss
Leo Strauss was a political philosopher and classicist who specialized in classical political philosophy. He was born in Germany to Jewish parents and later emigrated to the United States...
, who held a similarly elevated idea of religion as social ethics.
Abortion
Ferrara takes a position on abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
in 1989, criticizing from the pages of Corriere della Sera
Corriere della Sera
The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper, published in Milan.It is among the oldest and most reputable Italian newspapers. Its main rivals are Rome's La Repubblica and Turin's La Stampa.- History :...
the lack of responsibility of the male which follows the introduction of the first abortion pills. In the following years, while remaining a non-believer, takes a position closer to that of the Catholic Church in support of issues such as traditional family and the rights of the unborn. It argues for abstention in the referendum on assisted procreation of 12 and 13 June 2005.
Europe's Christian roots
Ferrara agrees with the Catholic Church regarding the defense of the Judeo-Christian roots of EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, while heightening the contrast feature of Islamist fundamentalism.