The Prime Minister is the President of the Council of Ministers (which holds effective executive power) and he must receive a vote of approval from it to execute most political activities. The office is similar to those in most other parliamentary systems, but the leader of the Italian government is not authorized to request the dissolution of the Parliament or to dismiss the ministers (that are appointed by him).
The office was established by Articles 92 through to 96 of the current Constitution of Italy. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of the Republic after each general election. Commonly referred to in Italy as Premier, the right title of the office holder is Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri, or just Presidente del Consiglio. The formal Italian order of precedence lists the office as being ceremonially the fourth most important Italian state office.
The office was first established in 1848 in Italy's predecessor state, the Kingdom of Sardinia, although it was not mentioned in the constitution, the Albertine Statute. The candidate for office was appointed by the king, and presided over a very unstable political system. In its first 60 years of existence (1861–1921), Italy changed its prime minister 37 times. Regarding this situation, the first goal of Benito Mussolini, appointed in 1922, was to abolish the Parliament's ability to put him to a vote of no confidence, thus basing his power on the will of the king and the National Fascist Party alone. With the proclamation of the Italian Republic in 1946, the office received constitutional recognition and 26 men assumed the office in 70 years.
10 July 1946 | 2 February 1947 | Christian Democracy | De Gasperi II | DC-PSI-PCI-PRI | Const. (1946) |
Enrico De Nicola ![]() (1946–1948) |
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2 February 1947 | 31 May 1947 | De Gasperi III | DC-PSI-PCI | |||||||
31 May 1947 | 23 May 1948 | De Gasperi IV | Centrism DC-PSDI-PLI-PRI |
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23 May 1948 | 27 January 1950 | De Gasperi V | I (1948) | Luigi Einaudi![]() (1948–1955) |
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27 January 1950 | 26 July 1951 | De Gasperi VI | Centrism DC-PSDI-PRI |
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26 July 1951 | 16 July 1953 | De Gasperi VII | DC-PRI | |||||||
16 July 1953 | 17 August 1953 | De Gasperi VIII | DC | II (1953) | ||||||
De Gasperi's eight-year rule remains the longest in modern Italian politics. During his successive governments, Italy became a republic (1946), signed a peace treaty with the Allies (1947), and joined NATO in 1949; by joining NATO, Italy became an ally of the United States, which helped revive the Italian economy through the Marshall Plan. Italy also became a member of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), predecessor of the European Union (EU). He signed the Gruber-De Gasperi Agreement with Austria in September 1946, establishing his home region, southern Tyrol, as an autonomous region. When the Christian Democrats did not gain a majority in the 1953 general election, De Gasperi was unable to establish a workable government and was forced to resign as Prime Minister. | ||||||||||
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Giuseppe Pella (1902–1981) |
17 August 1953 | 12 January 1954 | Christian Democracy | Pella | DC and Independents | ||||
After the political crisis caused by the failure of the Cheat Law, Pella was appointed Prime Minister. Pella gained further critics when, by issuing nationalistic declarations, he created strife with Josip Broz Tito regarding the Free Territory of Trieste. Pella resigned on 12 January 1954. | ||||||||||
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Amintore Fanfani (1908–1999) |
18 January 1954 | 8 February 1954 | Christian Democracy | Fanfani I | DC | ||||
The Fanfani I cabinet lasted only 21 days when it failed to win approval in the Parliament. He tried to form a centre-left government but was opposed by conservatives. It was one of the shortest governments in the history of Italian politics. | ||||||||||
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Mario Scelba (1901–1991) |
10 February 1954 | 6 July 1955 | Christian Democracy | Scelba | DC-PSDI-PLI | ||||
Scelba helped resolve outstanding wartime issues like the recovery of Trieste for Italy and pushed through the Paris Peace Treaties of 1947 with the wartime Allied powers. His fall was accomplished by his own party, due to political manoeuvring of party rivals like former Premier Giuseppe Pella and party secretary Amintore Fanfani. | ||||||||||
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Antonio Segni (1891–1972) |
6 July 1955 | 15 May 1957 | Christian Democracy | Segni I | DC-PSDI-PLI | Giovanni Gronchi![]() (1955–1962) |
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During Segni's government, the treaties instituting the European Economic Community (EEC) were signed on 25 March 1957, and Italy co-founded the community. His conservative cabinet was opposed by Fanfani's left-leaning faction within the Christian Democrats. | ||||||||||
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Adone Zoli (1887–1960) |
19 May 1957 | 1 July 1958 | Christian Democracy | Zoli | DC | ||||
Zoli resigned the post of Prime Minister due to his need for the votes of the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement to form a majority in the Parliament. He was then convinced by President of the Republic, Giovanni Gronchi, to remain in the post until the natural dissolution of the Italian Parliament in 1958. Zoli was the sole sitting Italian Senator to become Prime Minister. | ||||||||||
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Amintore Fanfani (1908–1999) |
1 July 1958 | 15 February 1959 | Christian Democracy | Fanfani II | DC-PSDI | III (1958) | |||
Fanfani tried to create a centre-left government, searching for cooperation with the Italian Socialist Party. He lost the support of his own Christian Democratic colleagues, who were against the agreement. He resigned on 26 January 1959. | ||||||||||
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Antonio Segni (1891–1972) |
15 February 1959 | 23 March 1960 | Christian Democracy | Segni II | DC | ||||
Segni was a conservative opposed to Fanfani's consociational strategy. His cabinet was supported externally by Liberals, Monarchists, and the Italian Social Movement. He resigned after just over a year. | ||||||||||
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Fernando Tambroni (1882–1963) |
25 March 1960 | 26 July 1960 | Christian Democracy | Tambroni | DC | ||||
Tambroni was elected with support of the Italian Social Movement, among others. On 21 May 1960, a street assembly led by the Communist leader was stopped by police, with the support of the government. This caused a series of riots. On 30 June 1960, a large demonstration called by the left-wing CGIL trade union in the streets of Genoa was heavily suppressed by the Italian police. Then Tambroni was forced to resign. | ||||||||||
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Amintore Fanfani (1908–1999) |
26 July 1960 | 21 February 1962 | Christian Democracy | Fanfani III | DC | ||||
21 February 1962 | 21 June 1963 | Fanfani IV | DC-PSDI-PRI | Antonio Segni![]() (1962–1964) |
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Fanfani became Prime Minister again and secured the support of the Italian Socialist Party, thus involving the centre-left in Italian politics. In February 1962 he reorganised his cabinet and gained the benign abstention of the PSI leader Pietro Nenni, but they were not part of the government. Resigned in 1963. | ||||||||||
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Giovanni Leone (1908–2001) |
21 June 1963 | 4 December 1963 | Christian Democracy | Leone I | DC | IV (1963) | |||
A member of the right-wing faction of Christian Democracy, Leone formed a transition government. His cabinet approved the budget law. Resigned after few months in December 1963. | ||||||||||
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Aldo Moro (1916–1978) |
4 December 1963 | 22 July 1964 | Christian Democracy | Moro I | Organic Centre-left (DC-PSI-PSDI-PRI) |
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22 July 1964 | 23 February 1966 | Moro II | Giuseppe Saragat![]() (1964–1971) |
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23 February 1966 | 24 June 1968 | Moro III | ||||||||
In 1963 Moro was nominated Prime Minister of Italy for the first time. His government was unevenly supported by Christian Democracy, but also by the Italian Socialist Party. The centre-left coalition, a first for the Italian post-war political panorama, stayed in power until the 1968 general elections. Moro's 3rd cabinet stayed in power for 833 days, a record for Italy's so-called "First Republic". Many social reforms were carried out during Moro's tenures. | ||||||||||
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Giovanni Leone (1908–2001) |
24 June 1968 | 12 December 1968 | Christian Democracy | Leone II | DC | V (1968) | |||
The former conservative premier Leone formed a transition government to approve the budget law. He remained in power for a few months after the 1968 general election. | ||||||||||
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Mariano Rumor (1915–1990) |
12 December 1968 | 5 August 1969 | Christian Democracy | Rumor I | Organic Centre-left (DC-PSI-PSDI-PRI) |
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5 August 1969 | 27 March 1970 | Rumor II | DC | |||||||
27 March 1970 | 6 August 1970 | Rumor III | Organic Centre-left (DC-PSI-PSDI-PRI) |
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Rumor was a member of the left-wing faction of Christian Democracy. During his cabinets, the Worker's Status and the creation of new Regions were approved. Rumor faced the Piazza Fontana bombing and the violence of the beginning of the Years of Lead. | ||||||||||
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Emilio Colombo (1920–2013) |
6 August 1970 | 17 February 1972 | Christian Democracy | Colombo | Organic Centre-left (DC-PSI-PSDI-PRI) |
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During his term, Colombo on several occasions held portfolios such as Treasury, Finance, Budget and Foreign. Like Rumor, Colombo did not resolve the riots, bombings and other current social issues. | ||||||||||
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Giulio Andreotti (1919–2013) |
17 February 1972 | 26 June 1972 | Christian Democracy | Andreotti I | DC | Giovanni Leone![]() (1971–1978) |
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26 June 1972 | 7 July 1973 | Andreotti II | DC-PSDI-PLI | VI (1972) | ||||||
Andreotti was a member of the right-wing faction of Christian Democracy. In his two consecutive centre-right cabinets, Andreotti strengthened Italy's alliance with NATO. He did not solve the social tensions of the Years of Lead. | ||||||||||
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Mariano Rumor (1915–1990) |
26 July 1973 | 14 March 1974 | Christian Democracy | Rumor IV | Organic Centre-left (DC-PSI-PSDI-PRI) |
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14 March 1974 | 23 November 1974 | Rumor V | DC-PSI-PSDI | |||||||
Rumor was re-elected Prime Minister in 1973, but after a year of students' and workers' protests and the riot due to the 1974 divorce referendum, Rumor was forced to resign. | ||||||||||
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Aldo Moro (1916–1978) |
23 November 1974 | 12 February 1976 | Christian Democracy | Moro IV | DC-PRI | ||||
12 February 1976 | 29 July 1976 | Moro V | Compromesso (DC with PCI's support) |
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The former Prime Minister Moro returned to power in 1974. As premier he concluded the Osimo Treaty with Yugoslavia, defining the official partition of the Free Territory of Trieste. Moro continued his social reforms. | ||||||||||
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Giulio Andreotti (1919–2013) |
29 July 1976 | 11 March 1978 | Christian Democracy | Andreotti III | Compromesso (DC with PCI's support) |
VII (1976) | |||
11 March 1978 | 20 March 1979 | Andreotti IV | ||||||||
20 March 1979 | 4 August 1979 | Andreotti V | DC-PSDI-PRI | Sandro Pertini![]() (1978–1985) |
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After the 1976 general election, Moro and Fanfani proposed the "historic compromise", a governing coalition of Christian Democracy and the Italian Communist Party for the first time. Andreotti led the first experiment in that direction. The relationship was based on non-sfiducia ("non-challenge", or abstaining in any confidence vote). Another cabinet was formed on 16 March 1978, the day on which Aldo Moro was kidnapped by the revolutionary communist terrorist group the Red Brigades. The situation which followed brought the PCI to vote for Andreotti's cabinet for the sake of what was called "national solidarity". Andreotti's role during the kidnapping of Moro is controversial. Moro was killed in May 1978. Laws approved during his tenure include the reform of the National Health Service. | ||||||||||
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Francesco Cossiga (1928–2010) |
4 August 1979 | 4 April 1980 | Christian Democracy | Cossiga I | DC-PSDI-PLI | VIII (1979) | |||
4 April 1980 | 18 October 1980 | Cossiga II | DC-PSI-PRI | |||||||
Cossiga was a member of the right-wing faction of Christian Democracy. During his ministry, Cossiga signed pacts with the German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. He resigned less than two years after his first appointment. | ||||||||||
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Arnaldo Forlani (1925–) |
18 October 1980 | 28 June 1981 | Christian Democracy | Forlani | DC-PSI-PSDI-PRI | ||||
Forlani handled corruption scandals within his party, the 1980 Irpinia earthquake and a renewed bout of leftist violence. He was known as a mild-mannered politician who attempted to avoid his party's factionalism. During his presidency, the list of the secret lodge P2's membership was published. Forlani was criticised for the list's delayed publication. He was therefore compelled to resign. With his resignation, the unbroken line of Christian Democrat Prime Ministers since 1945 came to an end. | ||||||||||
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Giovanni Spadolini (1925–1994) |
28 June 1981 | 23 August 1982 | Italian Republican Party | Spadolini I | Pentapartito (DC-PSI-PSDI-PRI-PLI) |
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23 August 1982 | 1 December 1982 | Spadolini II | ||||||||
Spadolini was the first non-Christian Democrat post-war Prime Minister. In 1982 he was forced to resign because the leader of the Socialist Party, Bettino Craxi, withdrew his support for the government. | ||||||||||
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Amintore Fanfani (1908–1999) |
1 December 1982 | 4 August 1983 | Christian Democracy | Fanfani V | DC-PSI-PSDI-PLI | ||||
From 1982 to 1983, Fanfani was Prime Minister for the fifth time. He continued his policy of rapport with the Socialists and the Communists. Fanfani was forced to resign after Christian Democracy's poor results in the 1983 general election. | ||||||||||
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Bettino Craxi (1934–2000) |
4 August 1983 | 1 August 1986 | Italian Socialist Party | Craxi I | Pentapartito (DC-PSI-PRI-PSDI-PLI) |
IX (1983) | |||
1 August 1986 | 17 April 1987 | Craxi II | Francesco Cossiga![]() (1985–1992) |
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During Craxi's tenure as Prime Minister, Italy became the fifth-largest industrial nation and gained entry into the G7. Double-digit inflation was addressed by eliminating a wage-price increase link; under this system, wages were increased in tandem with inflation. Removal of the link reduced inflation, which was falling in other major countries as well, but inevitably increased strikes in the long term, as workers had to collectively bargain for better salaries. In any case, the victory of the "No" front in the referendum called by the Italian Communist Party was also a major victory for Craxi. Budget deficits caused the national debt to skyrocket to beyond 100% of the gross national product. After four years of government, Craxi resigned in 1987. | ||||||||||
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Amintore Fanfani (1908–1999) |
17 April 1987 | 28 July 1987 | Christian Democracy | Fanfani VI | DC and independents | ||||
From April to July 1987, Fanfani was Prime Minister for the sixth time. He was elected to the prestigious post of chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate from 1994–1996. | ||||||||||
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Giovanni Goria (1943–1994) |
28 July 1987 | 13 April 1988 | Christian Democracy | Goria | Pentapartito (DC-PSI-PRI-PSDI-PLI) |
X (1987) | |||
After less than a year in power, Goria resigned in 1993 during a corruption scandal which ruined his party. Goria himself was charged with corruption. | ||||||||||
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Ciriaco De Mita (1928–) |
13 April 1988 | 22 July 1989 | Christian Democracy | De Mita | Pentapartito (DC-PSI-PRI-PSDI-PLI) |
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De Mita served as Prime Minister for a year, maintaining the party chairmanship of Christian Democracy. At the beginning of that service, on 16 April 1988, in Forlì, Red Brigades killed Senator Roberto Ruffilli, an advisor to De Mita. | ||||||||||
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Giulio Andreotti (1919–2013) |
22 July 1989 | 12 April 1991 | Christian Democracy | Andreotti VI | Pentapartito (DC-PSI-PRI-PSDI-PLI) |
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12 April 1991 | 28 June 1992 | Andreotti VII | Quadripartito (DC-PSI-PSDI-PLI) |
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In 1992, at the end of the legislature, Andreotti resigned as Prime Minister. The previous year, Cossiga had appointed him senator for life. He was a candidate for President of Italy, but was defeated by Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. Due to the scandals uncovered during the Mani pulite judicial investigations, Andreotti resigned. He was the last Christian Democratic Prime Minister of Italy. | ||||||||||
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Giuliano Amato (1938–) |
28 June 1992 | 28 April 1993 | Italian Socialist Party | Amato I | Quadripartito (DC-PSI-PLI-PSDI) |
XI (1992) | Oscar Luigi Scalfaro![]() (1992–1999) |
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During Amato's ten-month tenure, corruption scandals toppled much of the political establishment. Amato himself was never implicated, despite his ties to Bettino Craxi, a central figure in the corrupt political system. After two devaluations of the lira in the wake of currency speculation that led Italy to be expelled from the European Monetary System, Parliament cut the budget deficit drastically. This facilitated Italy's eventual adhesion to the Euro. | ||||||||||
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Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (1920–2016) |
28 April 1993 | 10 May 1994 | Independent | Ciampi | DC-PSI-PDS-PLI-PSDI-FdV | ||||
Ciampi led a coalition government supported by most of the parties in the Parliament. His government continued reforms to adopt the Euro currency. Ciampi was the last Prime Minister of the First Republic. | ||||||||||
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Silvio Berlusconi (1936–) |
10 May 1994 | 17 January 1995 | Forza Italia | Berlusconi I | PdL-PBG (FI-LN-AN-CCD-UdC) |
XII (1994) | |||
Berlusconi was the first Prime Minister of the so-called "Second Republic". His three television networks promoted his Forza Italia party, which placed first in the 1994 general election. He was appointed Prime Minister in 1994 and resigned later that year when the Lega Nord exited his governing coalition. | ||||||||||
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Lamberto Dini (1931–) |
17 January 1995 | 17 May 1996 | Independent | Dini | Independents (supported by PDS, PSI, FdV, Network, CS, LN) |
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In January 1995, Dini was appointed Prime Minister by President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. Dini also took the portfolio for treasury in the cabinet and was a non-elected Prime Minister and minister. Though he was a supporter of monetarist policies, he was supported by left-wing and centrist parties as well as the Lega Nord. Dini's cabinet was considered a "technocratic" government. | ||||||||||
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Romano Prodi (1939–) |
17 May 1996 | 21 October 1998 | The Olive Tree | Prodi I | L'Ulivo (PDS-PPI-RI-FdV-UD) |
XIII (1996) | |||
Prodi's government complied with European Monetary System parameters and effected Italy's adoption of the Euro currency. This was achieved in little more than six months. His government fell in 1998 when the Communist Refoundation Party withdrew its external support. Massimo D'Alema replaced Prodi as Prime Minister. Some claim that D'Alema engineered the collapse of the Prodi government to become Prime Minister himself. | ||||||||||
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Massimo D'Alema (1949–) |
21 October 1998 | 22 December 1999 | The Olive Tree (Democrats of the Left) |
D'Alema I | L'Ulivo (DS-PPI-RI-SDI-FdV-PdCI-UDR) |
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22 December 1999 | 25 April 2000 | D'Alema II | Carlo Azeglio Ciampi![]() (1999–2006) |
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In 1998, D'Alema became the first former Communist to become Prime Minister of a NATO country. He was supported by The Olive Tree coalition. Under D'Alema's leadership, Italy took part in the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999, to the consternation of some of his left-wing allies. When the Italian Communist Party (PCI) became the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS), D'Alema stressed that its Marxist roots should be replaced with social-democratic ideals. | ||||||||||
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Giuliano Amato (1938–) |
25 April 2000 | 11 June 2001 | The Olive Tree | Amato II | L'Ulivo (DS-PPI-Dem-FdV-PdCI-UDEUR-RI-SDI) |
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Amato promoted economic competitiveness as well as social protection. In addition to economic reforms, he pushed ahead with political and institutional reforms, trying to deal with a weak executive and fragmented legislature. His government did not succeed in reducing the media power of Berlusconi, and for this he was criticised by the left. | ||||||||||
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Silvio Berlusconi (1936–) |
11 June 2001 | 23 April 2005 | Forza Italia | Berlusconi II | House of Freedoms (FI-AN-LN-UDC-NPSI-PRI) |
XIV (2001) | |||
23 April 2005 | 17 May 2006 | Berlusconi III | ||||||||
Berlusconi's second cabinet became the longest serving in the history of the Italian Republic. Berlusconi's governments were characterised modest economic liberalisation and also by many attempts to reform the Italian Constitution and mild authoritarianism (Editto Bulgaro). Taxes were simplified and reforms to reduce crime were passed. In 2001, Berlusconi supported the War in Afghanistan and, in 2003, Italy participated in the Invasion of Iraq. On 13 February 2003 almost 2 million people protested in Rome against the war. The opposition criticised the Berlusconi government's relationships with Vladimir Putin's Russia and Muammar Gaddafi's Libya. After losses in the 23 April 2005 regional election, Berlusconi formed a new government with the same allies, reshuffling ministers and amending the government program. | ||||||||||
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Romano Prodi (1939–) |
17 May 2006 | 8 May 2008 | The Olive Tree (Democratic Party) |
Prodi II | L'Unione (DS-DL-PRC-RnP-PdCI-IdV-FdV-UDEUR) |
XV (2006) | Giorgio Napolitano![]() (2006–2015) |
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On 18 May 2006, Prodi pledged to withdraw Italian troops from Iraq and called the Iraq war a "grave mistake that has not solved but increased the problem of security". In his earlier months as Prime Minister, Prodi had a key role in the creation of a multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon following the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Prodi's government faced a crisis over policies in early 2007. Three ministers in Prodi's Cabinet boycotted a vote in January to continue funding for Italian troop deployments in Afghanistan. Two years after his election, Prodi lost his majority in the Senate and was forced to resign. | ||||||||||
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Silvio Berlusconi (1936–) |
8 May 2008 | 16 November 2011 | The People of Freedom | Berlusconi IV | Centre-right coalition (PdL-LN-MpA) |
XVI (2008) | |||
Berlusconi's fourth cabinet was the second-longest serving of the Italian Republic. After the 2008 general election, Berlusconi gained a large parliamentary majority. Italy maintained the relationships with Russia, Libya and the United States. After the April 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila which caused the death of more than 300 people, the government provided emergency management and awarding of reconstruction contracts. In 2009 Berlusconi was hit in the face with an alabaster statuette of Milan Cathedral after a rally in Milan's Piazza del Duomo. Berlusconi was accused of restricting the freedom of information, including against Italian Wikipedia. In early 2010, Berlusconi's government launched the Riforma Gelmini education programme. In late 2010, the governing People of Freedom split, with some members leaving the party to create an opposition party called Future and Freedom. In 2011, after protests and riots, sexual scandals and the debt crisis, Berlusconi was forced to resign. | ||||||||||
Mario Monti (1943–) |
16 November 2011 | 28 April 2013 | Independent | Monti | Independents (supported by PdL, PD, UdC, FLI) |
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Monti led a technocratic government. On 4 December 2011, Monti's government increased taxes, reformed pensions and passed anti-tax evasion measures in response to economic weakness and to restore market confidence, after rising Italian government bond yields threatened Italy's financial stability. Monti's government tried to modify Article 18 of the Italian Work Law (Statuto dei Lavoratori), defining workers' rights, causing several protests. On the 8 December 2012, after losing his majority due to the People of Freedom's withdrawal, Monti announced his resignation. He officially resigned on 21 December after the approval of the Stability Pact by Parliament. Monti founded the Civic Choice party in January 2013, which lost badly in 2013 general election. Monti continued to be Prime Minister until 28 April 2013, when a new government was formed. | ||||||||||
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Enrico Letta (1966–) |
28 April 2013 | 22 February 2014 | Democratic Party | Letta | Grand coalition (PD-PdL/NCD-SC-PpI-UdC) |
XVII (2013) | |||
On 27 April 2013, Letta formally accepted the task of heading the Italian Republic's first grand coalition government, with support from his party, the People of Freedom and Monti's Civic Choice. In November 2013, Silvio Berlusconi announced the refoundation of Forza Italia, in opposition to the government. On 17 November 2013, more than sixty deputies of the People of Freedon founded the New Centre-Right in support of the Letta Cabinet. On 8 December 2013, Matteo Renzi is elected as new Secretary of the Democratic Party. On 13 February 2014, following tensions with the Party's Secretary who asked for a "new phase" of the government, Letta announced he would resign as Prime Minister the following day. | ||||||||||
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Matteo Renzi (1975–) |
22 February 2014 | 12 December 2016 | Democratic Party | Renzi | PD-NCD-SC-UdC-DeS-PSI | ||||
At the age of 39, Matteo Renzi became the youngest Prime Minister in the history of Italy and his rise to become Prime Minister is considered a generational change. In April 2014, Renzi forced the chief executives of Italy's biggest state-owned companies, including Eni, Enel and Poste Italiane, to resign, and he subsequently appointed women to the majority of new positions, making it the first time any woman had served as a chief executive of a state-owned company. On 25 May 2014, in the European Parliament election, the Democratic Party gained 41% of the vote, the best result achieved by an Italian political party since 1958, and it became the most voted party in the European Union. On 3 December 2014 the Parliament approved the Jobs Act, which abolished the Article 18 of the Workers' Statute. On 4 May 2015, the Chamber approved the new electoral law and on 13 October 2015 the Senate and on 12 April 2016 the Chamber voted in favour of the constitutional reform to abolish the perfect bicameralism. The reforms for the transformation of the Senate into a federal upper chamber and a new electoral law has caused Renzi to be considered authoritarian and anti-democratic by his opponents. During his premiership Renzi had to face a huge migrant crisis, with hundreds of thousands of refugees who arrived to Italy by boats. On 11 May 2016 the Chamber of Deputies approved the Cirinnà Law, that recognize civil unions for same-sex couples. On 4 December 2016 the constitutional referendum promoted by the government is rejected by 59% of the voters, and on 7 December 2016 Renzi resigned. | Sergio Mattarella![]() (2015–) |
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Paolo Gentiloni (1954–) |
12 December 2016 | Incumbent | Democratic Party | Gentiloni | PD-NCD/AP-MDP-CpE-DeS-PSI | ||||
After Renzi's resignation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Paolo Gentiloni was appointed Prime Minister by President Sergio Mattarella. In February 2017 he signed deals with Libyan and Tunisian governments to stop the irregular immigration to Italy through the Mediterranean Sea. |
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