Emilio Colombo (11 April 1920 – 24 June 2013) was an Italian politician, member of the Christian Democracy, who served as Prime Minister of Italy from August 1970 to February 1972.[1]
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 her 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 "Quintus Horatius Flaccus" high school 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 Catholic Action's Youth.
Political career
Colombo entered politics as a member of the Christian Democracy (DC) in 1943.[6][7] In the 1946 election, Colombo was elected to Constituent Assembly of Italy with nearly 21,000 votes, becoming one of the youngest members of the parliament.[8] He was elected for the constituency of Potenza–Matera, which will remain his stronghold for all his political career.[9]
After two years, in 1948, Colombo was re-elected in the 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. However, this negative element was mitigated and in some cases eliminated by forms of cooperation.[15]
Prime Minister of Italy
Emilio Colombo with Ronald Reagan (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]
Emilio Colombo in 2003
Later he became president of the European Parliament (occupying that office from 1977 until 1979) and foreign minister of Italy (from 1980 until 1983, and again from 1992 until 1993).[6] In February 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. From 2008 until his death in June 2013, Colombo was a member of the Autonomies group, formed mainly by elects in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.
After the inconclusive elections on 24–25 February 2013 and the following difficulties of the hung Senate in electing a presiding officer, Colombo became Provisional President of the Senate 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.
^Corrado Barberis, Teoria e storia della riforma agraria, Florence, Vallecchi, 1957
^Riforma agraria e modernizzazione rurale in Italia nel ventesimo secolo
^Alcide De Gasperi tra riforma agraria e guerra fredda (1948–1950)
^Growth to Limits: The Western European Welfare States Since World War II Volume 4 edited by Peter Flora
^Scalfari, Eugenio (27 February 2007). . L'Espresso (in Italian). Archived from the original on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
^Hooper, John (27 November 2003). "Former PM tells of regular cocaine use". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
^"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.
External links
Media related to Emilio Colombo at Wikimedia Commons
January 30, 2023
emilio, colombo, april, 1920, june, 2013, italian, politician, member, christian, democracy, served, prime, minister, italy, from, august, 1970, february, 1972, senator, lifeprime, minister, italyin, office, august, 1970, february, 1972presidentgiuseppe, sarag. Emilio Colombo 11 April 1920 24 June 2013 was an Italian politician member of the Christian Democracy who served as Prime Minister of Italy from August 1970 to February 1972 1 Senator for lifeEmilio ColomboPrime Minister of ItalyIn office 6 August 1970 18 February 1972PresidentGiuseppe SaragatGiovanni LeoneDeputyFrancesco De MartinoPreceded byMariano RumorSucceeded byGiulio AndreottiPresident of the European ParliamentIn office 8 March 1977 17 July 1979Preceded byGeorges SpenaleSucceeded bySimone VeilMinisterial officesMinister of Foreign AffairsIn office 1 August 1992 28 April 1993Prime MinisterGiuliano AmatoPreceded byVincenzo ScottiSucceeded byBeniamino AndreattaIn office 4 April 1980 4 August 1983Prime MinisterArnaldo Forlani Giovanni Spadolini Amintore FanfaniPreceded byAttilio RuffiniSucceeded byGiulio AndreottiMinister of FinanceIn office 13 April 1988 23 July 1989Prime MinisterCiriaco De MitaPreceded byAntonio GavaSucceeded byRino FormicaMinister of BudgetIn office 29 July 1987 13 April 1988Prime MinisterGiovanni GoriaPreceded byGiovanni GoriaSucceeded byAmintore FanfaniIn office 25 June 1968 13 December 1968Prime MinisterGiovanni LeonePreceded byGiovanni PieracciniSucceeded byLuigi PretiMinister of TreasuryIn office 15 March 1974 30 July 1976Prime MinisterMariano RumorAldo MoroPreceded byUgo La MalfaSucceeded byGaetano StammatiIn office 18 February 1972 26 June 1972Prime MinisterGiulio AndreottiPreceded byMario Ferrari AggradiSucceeded byGiovanni MalagodiIn office 22 June 1963 6 August 1970Prime MinisterGiovanni LeoneAldo MoroMariano RumorPreceded byRoberto TremelloniSucceeded byMario Ferrari AggradiMinister of Grace and JusticeIn office 6 March 1971 17 February 1972Prime MinisterHimselfPreceded byOronzo RealeSucceeded byGuido GonellaMinister of Foreign TradeIn office 2 July 1958 16 February 1959Prime MinisterAmintore FanfaniPreceded byGuido CarliSucceeded byRinaldo Del BoMinister of AgricultureIn office 6 July 1955 2 July 1958Prime MinisterAntonio SegniAdone ZoliPreceded byGiuseppe MediciSucceeded byMario Ferrari AggradiMayor of PotenzaIn office 14 June 1952 14 January 1955Preceded byPietro ScognamiglioSucceeded byVincenzo SolimenaMember of the ParliamentMember of the SenateIn office 4 February 2003 24 June 2013For lifeAppointed byCarlo Azeglio CiampiMember of the European ParliamentIn office 25 July 1989 19 July 1994ConstituencySouthern ItalyIn office 17 July 1979 24 July 1984ConstituencySouthern ItalyMember of the Chamber of DeputiesIn office 8 May 1948 22 April 1992ConstituencyPotenza MateraMember of the Constituent AssemblyIn office 25 June 1946 31 January 1948ConstituencyPotenza MateraPersonal detailsBorn 1920 04 11 11 April 1920Potenza Basilicata Kingdom of ItalyDied24 June 2013 2013 06 24 aged 93 Rome Lazio ItalyPolitical partyChristian DemocracyAlma materSapienza UniversityDuring 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 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 Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1980 to 1993 and from 1992 to 1993 Colombo a fervent Europeanist served also as President of the European Parliament from 1977 to 1979 2 In 2003 he was appointed Senator for life a seat which he held until his death Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Political career 3 Prime Minister of Italy 4 Personal life 5 Honours and awards 6 References 7 External linksEarly life and education EditColombo 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 her 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 Quintus Horatius Flaccus high school 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 Catholic Action s Youth Political career EditColombo entered politics as a member of the Christian Democracy DC in 1943 6 7 In the 1946 election Colombo was elected to Constituent Assembly of Italy with nearly 21 000 votes becoming one of the youngest members of the parliament 8 He was elected for the constituency of Potenza Matera which will 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 1948 Colombo was re elected in the 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 However this negative element was mitigated and in some cases eliminated by forms of cooperation 15 Prime Minister of Italy Edit Emilio Colombo with Ronald Reagan 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 Emilio Colombo in 2003 Later he became president of the European Parliament occupying that office from 1977 until 1979 and foreign minister of Italy from 1980 until 1983 and again from 1992 until 1993 6 In February 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 From 2008 until his death in June 2013 Colombo was a member of the Autonomies group formed mainly by elects in Trentino Alto Adige Sudtirol After the inconclusive elections on 24 25 February 2013 and the following difficulties of the hung Senate in electing a presiding officer Colombo became Provisional President of the Senate 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 Giulio Andreotti on 6 May 2013 Colombo became the last surviving member of the Italian Constituent Assembly 6 Personal life EditIn November 2003 he admitted to have used cocaine for therapeutic purposes over a 12 to 18 month period 17 18 Colombo died in Rome on 24 June 2013 at the age of 93 9 19 Honours and awards Edit France Grand Officier of the Legion of Honour Iran Commemorative Medal of the 2 500 year celebration of the Persian Empire Italy Knight of Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Italy Grand Cross of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George EU Gold Medal of the Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe in 2011 References Edit Biography portal Politics portal Italy portal European Union portal Profile of Emilio Colombo Emilio Colombo Multimedia Center European Parliament Page at Senate website in Italian Emilio Colombo Centenario Emilio Colombo Emilio Colombo Ministry of Foreign Affairs Retrieved 22 April 2013 a b c d Senator for life framer of Italian Constitution dies at 94 La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno Rome ANSA 25 June 2013 Retrieved 26 June 2013 Former Italian prime minister Emilio Colombo dead at 93 NewsDaily 25 June 2013 Retrieved 26 June 2013 Elezioni 1946 Circoscrizione Potenza Matera Ministero dell Interno a b Former Italian prime minister Emilio Colombo dead at 93 Reuters 25 June 2013 Retrieved 26 June 2013 Elezioni 1948 Circoscrizione Potenza Matera Ministero dell Interno Governo De Gasperi V governo it Governo De Gasperi VI governo it Corrado Barberis Teoria e storia della riforma agraria Florence Vallecchi 1957 Riforma agraria e modernizzazione rurale in Italia nel ventesimo secolo Alcide De Gasperi tra riforma agraria e guerra fredda 1948 1950 Growth to Limits The Western European Welfare States Since World War II Volume 4 edited by Peter Flora Scalfari Eugenio 27 February 2007 Casini dica Dico L Espresso in Italian Archived from the original on 16 June 2010 Retrieved 20 July 2007 Hooper John 27 November 2003 Former PM tells of regular cocaine use The Age Melbourne Retrieved 20 July 2007 E 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 External links Edit Media related to Emilio Colombo at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Emilio Colombo amp oldid 1129874459, 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