Mario Tanassi
Encyclopedia
Mario Tanassi was an Italian politician, who was several times Minister of the Italian Republic. In 1979 he was condemned by the Constitutional Court of Italy
for his involvement in the Lockheed bribery scandal.
, in the province of Campobasso
. He entered the Italian Democratic Socialist Party
(Partito Socialista Democratico Italiano, or PSDI) and was alter national co-secretary, together with Francesco De Martino
, of the unified PSI-PSDI, a short-lived reunion of PSDI and the Italian Socialist Party
.
He was minister of defence for the first time in the Rumor II Cabinet
(1970), formed by an alliance between Christian Democracy (DC), PSI and PSDI. In 1972 he was again appointed as minister of defencee, as well as vice-prime minister (Andreotti II Cabinet
, in which the Italian Liberal Party
had replaced the Socialists). Tanassi was minister of defence for the third time in the fourth Rumor Government (DC-PSI-PSDI-PRI
).
After a short tenure in 1972, in June 1975 he became again national secretary of PSDI, replacing Flavio Orlandi. A few time later, he was involved in the Lockheed bribery scandal together with Mariano Rumor and Luigi Gui, and therefore he lost the position of the party's secretary. In 1979 the Constitutional Courty of Italy found him guilty of bribery and he spent fourth months in jail. He was the first Italian former minister to undergo a prison condemn.
Constitutional Court of Italy
The Constitutional Court of Italy is a supreme court of Italy, the other being the Court of Cassation. Sometimes the name Consulta is used as a metonym for it, because its sessions are held in Palazzo della Consulta in Rome....
for his involvement in the Lockheed bribery scandal.
Biography
Tanassi was born at UruriUruri
Ururi is a comune in the Province of Campobasso in the Italian region Molise, located about 40 km northeast of Campobasso.Ururi borders the following municipalities: Larino, Montorio nei Frentani, Rotello, San Martino in Pensilis....
, in the province of Campobasso
Province of Campobasso
The Province of Campobasso is a province in the Molise region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Campobasso.It has an area of 2,909 km², and a total population of 230,692...
. He entered the Italian Democratic Socialist Party
Italian Democratic Socialist Party
The Italian Democratic Socialist Party is a minor social-democratic political party in Italy. Mimmo Magistro is the party leader. The PSDI, before the 1990s decline in votes and members, had been an important force in Italian politics, being the longest serving partner in government for Christian...
(Partito Socialista Democratico Italiano, or PSDI) and was alter national co-secretary, together with Francesco De Martino
Francesco De Martino
Francesco de Martino was an Italian jurist, politician, lifetime senator and former interim Vice President of the Italian Republic...
, of the unified PSI-PSDI, a short-lived reunion of PSDI and 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...
.
He was minister of defence for the first time in the Rumor II Cabinet
Mariano Rumor
Mariano Rumor was an Italian politician, a member of the Democrazia Cristiana and the 40th Prime Minister of Italy.He was born in Vicenza, Veneto...
(1970), formed by an alliance between Christian Democracy (DC), PSI and PSDI. In 1972 he was again appointed as minister of defencee, as well as vice-prime minister (Andreotti II Cabinet
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...
, in which the Italian Liberal Party
Italian Liberal Party
The Italian Liberal Party was a liberal political party in Italy.-Origins:The origins of liberalism in Italy came from the so-called "Historical Right", a parliamentary group formed by Camillo Benso di Cavour in the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia following the 1848 revolution...
had replaced the Socialists). Tanassi was minister of defence for the third time in the fourth Rumor Government (DC-PSI-PSDI-PRI
Italian Republican Party
The Italian Republican Party is a liberal political party in Italy.The PRI is party with old roots that originally took a left-wing position, claiming descent from the political position of Giuseppe Mazzini...
).
After a short tenure in 1972, in June 1975 he became again national secretary of PSDI, replacing Flavio Orlandi. A few time later, he was involved in the Lockheed bribery scandal together with Mariano Rumor and Luigi Gui, and therefore he lost the position of the party's secretary. In 1979 the Constitutional Courty of Italy found him guilty of bribery and he spent fourth months in jail. He was the first Italian former minister to undergo a prison condemn.