Amintore Fanfani

Amintore Fanfani , 1908-99, Italian political leader, a Christian Democrat. A noted scholar, he held several cabinet posts after World War II and was secretary of the Christian Democratic party from 1954 to 1959. He was premier in 1954, 1958-59, 1960-63 (twice), 1982-83, and 1987; in 1962 he succeeded in reorganizing his cabinet to include the Social Democrats, thus inaugurating an "opening to the left" in Italian politics. A strong supporter of the European Economic Community (Common Market), Fanfani was foreign minister in 1965 and in 1966-68. He also served (1965-66) as president of the UN General Assembly. He entered the Italian senate in 1968 and served as its president. In 1973, he resigned from that post to again become secretary of the Christian Democrats, but he returned to the senate in 1976 and was its president for six more years.

Fanfani, Amintore (b. 6 Feb. 1908, d. 21 Nov. 1999). Prime Minister of Italy 1954, 1958–9, 1960–3, 1982–3, 1987 A professor in economic history at the Catholic University of Milan (since 1936), he joined the Christian Democrats (DC) out of his commitment to social reform in 1945, and became a member of the Constituent Assembly in 1946. He served as Minister of Labour (1947–50), of Agriculture (1951–3), and of the Interior (1953–4). As Party Secretary of the DC, 1954–9 and 1973–5, he was responsible for a considerable improvement in party organization and party membership. As Prime Minister he steered his party to the left and was responsible for the cooperation with the Socialist Parties, which formed the basis of the DC governments, 1963–74. His influence within the party dwindled thereafter, so that he was unable to prevent the DC accepting the help of the Communist Party in government under Andreotti in 1976. His last two periods as Prime Minister were brief, as he was chosen because of his seniority to head a pre-election caretaker government. He joined the Senate in 1968 and served as its president, 1976–82 and 1985–87.