Emilio_Colombo

Emilio Colombo

Emilio Colombo

Italian politician (1920–2013)

Emilio Colombo (11 April 1920 – 24 June 2013) was an Italian politician. A member of the Christian Democracy party, he served as Prime Minister of Italy from August 1970 to February 1972. In 2003, he was appointed senator for life, a seat he held until his death.[1]

Quick Facts Senator for life, Prime Minister of Italy ...

During his long political career, Colombo held many offices in several governments. He served as Minister of Agriculture from 1955 to 1958; Minister of Foreign Trade [it] from 1958 to 1959; Minister of Grace and Justice from 1970 to 1972; Minister of Treasury from 1963 to 1970, in 1962 and from 1974 to 1976; Minister of Budget in 1968 and from 1987 to 1988; Minister of Finance from 1988 to 1989; and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1980 to 1983 and from 1992 to 1993. A fervent Europeanist, he also served as president of the European Parliament from 1977 to 1979.[2]

Early life and education

Colombo was born in Potenza, Basilicata, on 11 April 1920.[3] He grew up, along with his six brothers, in a middle-class family; his father, Angelo Colombo, was a public administration's official, while his mother, Rosa Tordella, was a housewife.[4]

In 1935, he founded the first local section of Catholic Action (AC), a widespread Catholic association and one of the few non-fascist organizations, admitted by the regime of Benito Mussolini. In 1937, Colombo became the president of Potenza's Catholic Action and member of the National Council of Catholic Action's Youth. In the same year, he obtained the classical lyceum diploma at the high school entitled to Quintus Horatius Flaccus in Potenza.

In 1941, Colombo graduated in law at the Sapienza University of Rome, with a thesis on canon law.[5] On 1 August 1942, he was enrolled and took part in the World War II. In September 1943, after the armistice, Colombo returned to Basilicata, starting his political commitment based on anti-fascist and Christian democratic principles. From 1944 to 1947, he was appointed general secretary of Azione Cattolica's youth wing.

Political career

Colombo entered politics as a member of the Christian Democracy (DC) party in 1943.[6][7] In the 1946 Italian general election, Colombo was elected to the Constituent Assembly of Italy with nearly 21,000 votes, becoming one of the youngest members of the Italian Parliament.[8] He was elected for the constituency of Potenza–Matera, which would remain his stronghold for all his political career.[9]

Colombo with Alcide De Gasperi and Antonio Segni in the early 1950s

After two years, in the 1948 Italian general election, Colombo was re-elected in the country's Chamber of Deputies for his constituency with more than 43,000 votes.[10] From May 1948 to July 1951, he was appointed undersecretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests in the 5th and 6th governments of Alcide De Gasperi.[11][12]

During these years, Colombo was carried on a successful mediation in Calabria in 1949 during clashes for the occupations of the lands by peasants. He also collaborated with minister Antonio Segni in the approving of the agrarian reform. The land reform, approved by the parliament in October 1950, was financed in part by the funds of the Marshall Plan launched by the United States in 1947 and considered by some scholars as the most important reform of the entire post-war period.[13] The reform proposed, through forced expropriation, the distribution of land to agricultural laborers, thus making them small entrepreneurs and no longer subject to the large landowner.[14] If in some ways the reform had this beneficial result, for others it significantly reduced the size of farms, effectively removing any possibility of transforming them into advanced businesses. This negative element was mitigated and in some cases eliminated by forms of cooperatives.[15]

Prime Minister of Italy

Colombo with Ronald Reagan in 1981

A number of progressive reforms were introduced during Colombo's time as prime minister. A housing reform law of 22 October 1971 introduced new criteria for land expropriations and provisions for urban renewals. Under a law of 6 December 1971, state funds were made available for the construction of a kindergarten in every local authority. A law of 30 December 1971 introduced new regulations covering protection of female workers and maternity insurance. The duration of maternity leave was extended two months prior to, and two months after confinement for all employees, and all female workers were entitled to an earnings-related indemnity, equal to 80% of earnings, including agricultural workers and tenant farmers. Also introduced was an entitlement to voluntary extra period of leave for six months during the first year of the child's life, with job security and an indemnity equal to 30% of earnings, together with an entitlement to paid absences due to the child's sickness during the first three years if the child's life. In addition, a special natality allowance was introduced for self-employed women in the agricultural, artisan, and commercial sectors.[16]

Colombo in 2003

Between 1977 and 1979, Colombo was the president of the European Parliament. From 1980 to 1983 and again from 1992 to 1993, he was foreign minister of Italy.[6]

Later life

In 2003, then president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi bestowed Italy's highest political honour on him by nominating him senator for life.[6] In the first five years as lifetime senator, he was an independent politician. From 2008 until his death in June 2013, Colombo was a member of the For the Autonomies group, formed mainly by elects in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. After the inconclusive 2023 Italian general election and the following difficulties of the Senate of the Republic in electing a presiding officer, Colombo became its provisional president until the election of Pietro Grasso on 16 March 2013. The most oldest senator, former prime minister Giulio Andreotti was due to inaugurate the new legislature but his unavailability benefited Colombo. After the death of Andreotti on 6 May 2013, Colombo became the last surviving member of the Italian Constituent Assembly.[6]

Personal life

In November 2003, Colombo admitted to have used cocaine for therapeutic purposes over a 12- to 18-month period.[17][18] He died in Rome on 24 June 2013 at the age of 93.[9][19]

Honours and awards

Electoral history

More information Election, House ...

References

  1. [1]
    Profile of Emilio Colombo
  2. [2]
    Emilio Colombo – Multimedia Center, European Parliament
  3. [3]
    Page at Senate website (in Italian)
  4. [4]
    Emilio Colombo, Centenario Emilio Colombo
  5. [5]
    "Emilio Colombo". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  6. [6]
    "Senator-for-life, framer of Italian Constitution, dies at 94". La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno. Rome. ANSA. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.[permanent dead link]
  7. [7]
    "Former Italian prime minister Emilio Colombo dead at 93". NewsDaily. 25 June 2013. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  8. [8]
    Elezioni 1946: Circoscrizione Potenza– Matera, Ministero dell'Interno
  9. [9]
    "Former Italian prime minister Emilio Colombo dead at 93". Reuters. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  10. [10]
    Elezioni 1948: Circoscrizione Potenza– Matera, Ministero dell'Interno
  11. [11]
    Governo De Gasperi V, governo.it
  12. [12]
    Governo De Gasperi VI, governo.it
  13. [13]
    Corrado Barberis, Teoria e storia della riforma agraria, Florence, Vallecchi, 1957
  14. [14]
    Riforma agraria e modernizzazione rurale in Italia nel ventesimo secolo
  15. [15]
    Alcide De Gasperi tra riforma agraria e guerra fredda (1948–1950)
  16. [16]
    Growth to Limits: The Western European Welfare States Since World War II Volume 4 edited by Peter Flora
  17. [17]
    Scalfari, Eugenio (27 February 2007). "Casini dica Dico". L'Espresso (in Italian). Archived from the original on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
  18. [18]
    Hooper, John (27 November 2003). "Former PM tells of regular cocaine use". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
  19. [19]
    "È morto Emilio Colombo: aveva 93 anni L'Italia dice addio all'ultimo padre costituente". la Repubblica (in Italian). 24 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
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