Giovanni Leone

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Giovanni Leone
VI President of the Italian Republic
In office December 29, 1971 – June 15, 1978
Preceded by	Giuseppe Saragat
Succeeded by	Amintore Fanfani
Prime minister of Italy
In office June 21, 1963 – December 4, 1963 June 24, 1968 – December 12, 1968
President	Antonio Segni Giuseppe Saragat
Preceded by	Amintore Fanfani Aldo Moro
Succeeded by	Aldo Moro Mariano Rumor
Born	November 3, 1908 Naples, Italy
Died	November 9, 2001 (age 93) Rome, Italy
Political party	Christian Democracy
Spouse	Vittoria Micchitto

Giovanni Leone (November 3, 1908 – November 9, 2001) was an Italian politician. He was Prime Minister of Italy from June 21, 1963 to November 5, 1963 and again from June 24, 1968 to November 19, 1968. He also served as President of the Republic from 1971 to 1978.

[edit] Biography

Leone was born in Naples.

He graduated in law in 1929. His father was one of the founders of Democrazia Cristiana in his native city, and he was elected to the Italian Constituent Assembly in 1946. A member of the right wing faction of his party, he was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies in 1948, being confirmed until 1963. In 1955-1963 he was also President of the Chamber, from which he resigned for a brief stint as Premier.

After having been unofficially several times candidate to the Presidency of Republic, he was named Life Senator in 1968. In the same year he was again Premier for some months. He was forced to resign from his position amid a scandal involving Lockheed aeroplanes. In 1971 he succeeded Giuseppe Saragat as President of Italy, being elected with votes of a right-centre majority of the Parliament (518 out of 996 votes, including those of the post-fascist Italian Social Movement).

He became embroiled in controversy when, as President of Republic, visiting his native city during an outbreak of cholera, shook the hands of the patients with one hand, and with the other, behind the back, made the corna. This act was well documented, as all journalists and photographers were right behind him. The gesture was interpreted especially as offensive for the patients.

In June 1978 a campaign against his presidency - he had been accused of minor bribery - was approved and finally supported by the Italian Communist Party (Partito Comunista Italiano or PCI); it resulted in the President's resignation. Sandro Pertini took over the post.

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• Biography] (Italian)

Preceded by Giovanni Gronchi	President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies 1955-1963	Succeeded by Brunetto Bucciarelli-Ducci
Preceded by Amintore Fanfani	Prime Minister of Italy 1963	Succeeded by Aldo Moro
Preceded by Aldo Moro	Prime Minister of Italy 1968	Succeeded by Mariano Rumor
Preceded by Giuseppe Saragat	President of the Italian Republic 1971–1978	Succeeded by Sandro Pertini

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