Giovanni Leone
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Leone was an Italian politician. He was the 38th Prime Minister of Italy
from 21 June 1963 to 4 December 1963 and again from 24 June 1968 to 12 December 1968. He also served as the sixth President of the Republic from 1971 to 1978.
.
He graduated in law in 1929. His father was one of the founders of Democrazia Cristiana in his native city, and he was elected to the Italian Constituent Assembly in 1946. A member of the right wing faction of his party, he was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies
in 1948, being confirmed until 1963. In 1955-1963 he was also President of the Chamber, from which he resigned for a brief stint as Premier.
After having been unofficially several times candidate to the Presidency of the Republic, he was named Life Senator in 1967. In 1968 he was again Premier for some months. In 1971 he succeeded Giuseppe Saragat
as President of Italy, being elected with votes of a right-centre majority of the Parliament (518 out of 996 votes, including those of the post-fascist Italian Social Movement
).
He was forced to resign from his position following his involvement in the Lockheed bribery scandal
on 15 June 1978.
Prime minister of Italy
The Prime Minister of Italy is the head of government of the Italian Republic...
from 21 June 1963 to 4 December 1963 and again from 24 June 1968 to 12 December 1968. He also served as the sixth President of the Republic from 1971 to 1978.
Biography
Leone was born in NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
.
He graduated in law in 1929. His father was one of the founders of Democrazia Cristiana in his native city, and he was elected to the Italian Constituent Assembly in 1946. A member of the right wing faction of his party, he was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies
Italian Chamber of Deputies
The Italian Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Parliament of Italy. It has 630 seats, a plurality of which is controlled presently by liberal-conservative party People of Freedom. Twelve deputies represent Italian citizens outside of Italy. Deputies meet in the Palazzo Montecitorio. A...
in 1948, being confirmed until 1963. In 1955-1963 he was also President of the Chamber, from which he resigned for a brief stint as Premier.
After having been unofficially several times candidate to the Presidency of the Republic, he was named Life Senator in 1967. In 1968 he was again Premier for some months. In 1971 he succeeded Giuseppe Saragat
Giuseppe Saragat
Giuseppe Saragat was an Italian politician who was the fifth President of the Italian Republic from 1964 to 1971.Saragat was born in Turin, from Sardinian parents....
as President of Italy, being elected with votes of a right-centre majority of the Parliament (518 out of 996 votes, including those of the post-fascist Italian Social Movement
Italian Social Movement
The Italian Social Movement , and later the Italian Social Movement–National Right , was a neo-fascist and post-fascist political party in Italy. Formed in 1946 by supporters of former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, the party became the fourth largest party in Italy by the early 1960s...
).
He was forced to resign from his position following his involvement in the Lockheed bribery scandal
Lockheed bribery scandals
The Lockheed bribery scandals encompassed a series of bribes and contributions made by officials of U.S. aerospace company Lockheed from the late 1950s to the 1970s in the process of negotiating the sale of aircraft....
on 15 June 1978.