Claudio Martelli
Encyclopedia
Claudio Martelli is an Italian politician, and the right-hand man of Bettino Craxi
, the socialist Prime Minister from 1983–1987.
, in the province of Milan
.
He graduated in Philosophy
and joined the Italian Socialist Party
in 1966. In 1976, he was called by the leader of the party, Bettino Craxi, to continue his career in Rome
. He was elected to the Italian Parliament in 1979 and became vice-leader (with Valdo Spini
) of the party in 1981. He was also elected for the PSI at the European Parliament
in 1984. In 1989, he was nominated as vice-President of the Council
and in 1991 became Minister for Justice
in both of the government
s of Giulio Andreotti
(1989–1992).
During Tangentopoli
, he ran for the party leadership after the resignation of Bettino Craxi, after Craxi was accused of corruption. However, his candidacy
was blown off by his involvement in the 7 million
dollar bribe in 1980 and resigned as Minister of Justice.
He exited the political world to deal with his judicial cases. In 1997, after concluding his legal battles, he founded Mondo Operaio (former magazine of the PSI). In the same year he was elected to the European Parliament
for the Italian Social Democrats. However in 2000, he left the SDI and joined the Socialist Party New PSI
. He became spokesman for the party but was not elected to the Italian Parliament in 2001 and left the party in 2005. In 2005, for second time, he left the political spectrum and became a presenter
of a television
political program.
Bettino Craxi
Benedetto Craxi was an Italian politician, head of the Italian Socialist Party from 1976 to 1993, the first socialist President of the Council of Ministers of Italy from 1983 to 1987.-Political career:...
, the socialist Prime Minister from 1983–1987.
Biography
Martelli was born at GessateGessate
Gessate is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 25 km northeast of Milan. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,496 and an area of 7.8 km²....
, in the province of Milan
Province of Milan
The Province of Milan : /) is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Milan. The provincial territory is highly urbanized, resulting in the third highest population density among the Italian provinces with more than 2,000 inhabitants/km2, just behind the provinces of...
.
He graduated in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and joined the Italian Socialist Party
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 1966. In 1976, he was called by the leader of the party, Bettino Craxi, to continue his career in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He was elected to the Italian Parliament in 1979 and became vice-leader (with Valdo Spini
Valdo Spini
Valdo Spini is an Italian politician and writer.A long-time member of the Italian Socialist Party , in 1994 he founded the Labour Federation , of which he was leader until FL merged into the Democrats of the Left . Since then, he was a leading member of the Socialist faction within DS. .Elected MP...
) of the party in 1981. He was also elected for the PSI at 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 1984. In 1989, he was nominated as vice-President of the Council
President of the Council
President of the Council can refer to:*President of the Council of Ministers*Lord President of the Council...
and in 1991 became Minister for Justice
Minister for Justice
The Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice, commonly referred to as the Justice Secretary, is a cabinet position in the Scottish Government...
in both of the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
s of Giulio Andreotti
Giulio Andreotti
Giulio Andreotti is an Italian politician of the now dissolved centrist Christian Democracy party. He served as the 42nd Prime Minister of Italy from 1972 to 1973, from 1976 to 1979 and from 1989 to 1992. He also served as Minister of the Interior , Defense Minister and Foreign Minister and he...
(1989–1992).
During 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...
, he ran for the party leadership after the resignation of Bettino Craxi, after Craxi was accused of corruption. However, his candidacy
Candidacy
Candidacy is a rite which takes place during Roman Catholic seminary formation, by which the Church recognizes the seminarian as worthy of being ordained...
was blown off by his involvement in the 7 million
Million
One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
dollar bribe in 1980 and resigned as Minister of Justice.
He exited the political world to deal with his judicial cases. In 1997, after concluding his legal battles, he founded Mondo Operaio (former magazine of the PSI). In the same year he was 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...
for the Italian Social Democrats. However in 2000, he left the SDI and joined the Socialist Party New PSI
Socialist Party New PSI
The New Italian Socialist Party is a small political party in Italy which professes a social-democratic ideology and claims to be the successor to the old Italian Socialist Party, which was disbanded after the judiciary tempest of the early 1990s...
. He became spokesman for the party but was not elected to the Italian Parliament in 2001 and left the party in 2005. In 2005, for second time, he left the political spectrum and became a presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
of a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
political program.