Giorgio Napolitano
President of Italy
Incumbent
Assumed office  15 May 2006
Prime Minister	Silvio Berlusconi Romano Prodi Silvio Berlusconi
Preceded by	Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
Minister of the Interior of Italy
In office 17 May 1996 – 21 October 1998
Prime Minister	Romano Prodi
Preceded by	Giovanni Rinaldo Coronas
Succeeded by	Rosa Russo Jervolino
President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies
In office 03 June 1992 – 14 April 1994
Preceded by	Oscar Luigi Scalfaro
Succeeded by	Irene Pivetti
Lifetime Senator
In office 23 November 2005 – 15 May 2006
Born	29 June 1925 (1925-06-29) (age 82) Naples,Italy
Nationality	Italian
Political party	Democrats of the Left
Spouse	Clio Maria Bittoni
Children	Giulio Napolitano Giovanni Napolitano
Residence	Quirinal Palace, Rome, Italy
Alma mater	University of Naples Federico II
Profession	Politician

Giorgio Napolitano (born June 29, 1925) is an Italian politician and former lifetime senator, the eleventh and current President of the Italian Republic. The President of the Italian Republic (Presidente della Repubblica Italiana is the Head of State of Italy, and as such is intended to represent national unity Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. (born 29 September 1936 is an Italian politician, Entrepreneur, Real estate and Insurance Tycoon, Bank and Media proprietor (born 9 August 1939 is an Italian politician and statesman He served as President of the Council of Ministers (prime minister of Italy twice from 17 May (born 29 September 1936 is an Italian politician, Entrepreneur, Real estate and Insurance Tycoon, Bank and Media proprietor (born 9 December 1920) is an Italian politician and banker He was Prime Minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994 and was President from 1999 This is a list of Italian Ministers of the Interior since 1861 Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) (born 9 August 1939 is an Italian politician and statesman He served as President of the Council of Ministers (prime minister of Italy twice from 17 May Giovanni Rinaldo Coronas ( April 10, 1919 &ndash January 5, 2008) was an Italian Politician. Rosa Russo Iervolino (born September 17, 1936 in Naples) is an Italian politician The Italian Chamber of Deputies ( Camera dei Deputati) is the Lower house of the Parliament of Italy. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Baron Oscar Luigi Scalfaro ˈskalfaro (born September 9, 1918) is an Italian Politician and magistrate member of the Christian Democracy Irene Pivetti (born 4 April 1963) is an Italian journalist and politician deputy since 1992 to 2001 The Italian Senate ( Italian: Senato della Repubblica, 'Senate of the Republic' is the Upper house of the Parliament of Italy. Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging The Democrats of the Left ( Democratici di Sinistra, DS was a left-wing Italian political party and part of the Olive Tree electoral coalition The Quirinal Palace (known in Italian as the Palazzo del Quirinale or simply the Quirinale) is the Official residence of the President Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval The University of Naples Federico II (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II is a university located in Naples, Italy. A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person The Italian Senate ( Italian: Senato della Repubblica, 'Senate of the Republic' is the Upper house of the Parliament of Italy. The President of the Italian Republic (Presidente della Repubblica Italiana is the Head of State of Italy, and as such is intended to represent national unity His election took place on May 10, 2006, and his term started with the swearing-in ceremony held on May 15. On May 2, 2006, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy Fausto Bertinotti, in agreement with Senate Speaker Franco Marini, Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the

Biography before presidency

Early years and World War II

Giorgio Napolitano was born in Naples, Campania. Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the Campania is a region of Southern Italy in Europe. The region has a population of around 5

In 1942 Napolitano matriculated at the University of Naples Federico II. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The University of Naples Federico II (Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II is a university located in Naples, Italy. He adhered to the local Gruppo Universitario Fascista ("University Fascist Group"), where he met his core group of friends, who shared his opposition to Italian fascism. The term Italian Fascism denotes the totalitarian Fascismo political movement that ruled Italy from 1922 until 1943 under leader Benito Mussolini As he would later state, the group "was in fact a true breeding ground of anti-fascist intellectual energies, disguised and to a certain extent tolerated". Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies organizations governments and people ^[1]

A theatre enthusiast since high school, during his university years he contributed a theatrical review to the IX Maggio weekly magazine, and had small parts in plays organised by the Gruppo Universitario Fascista itself. Theatre (or theater, see spelling differences) is the branch of the Performing arts defined by Bernard Beckerman as what "occurs when one

During the Nazi occupation of Italy in the final period of World War II, he and his circle of friends took part in several actions of the Italian resistance movement against German Nazi and Italian fascist forces. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Italian Resistance movement was a partisan force during World War II. ^[2] This included occupying the offices of the IX Maggio magazine and using it to publish writings of Karl Marx masked as articles signed by the various components of the group.

From post-war years to the Hungarian revolution

Following the end of the war in 1945, Napolitano joined the PCI (Partito Comunista Italiano, Italian Communist Party). Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The Italian Communist Party (Italian Partito Comunista Italiano, or PCI emerged as the Communist Party of Italy ( Partito Comunista d'Italia) In 1947, he graduated in jurisprudence with a final thesis on political economy, entitled "Il mancato sviluppo industriale del Mezzogiorno dopo l'unità e la legge speciale per Napoli del 1904". Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Jurisprudence is the Theory and Philosophy of Law. Scholars of jurisprudence or legal philosophers hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature A dissertation (also called thesis or disquisition) is a document that presents the author's Research and findings and is submitted in support of candidature (Italian for "The lack of industrial development in the Mezzogiorno following the unification of Italy and the special law of 1904 for Naples"). Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Geography Southern Italy forms the lower "boot" of the Italian peninsula containing the ankle (Abruzzo and Molise and southern Lazio the toe (Calabria and the heel Italian Unification ( Italian: il Risorgimento, or "The Resurgence" was the political and social movement that unified different states of the Italian Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on ^[3]

He was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1953 for the electoral division of Naples, and was returned at every election until 1996. The Italian Chamber of Deputies ( Camera dei Deputati) is the Lower house of the Parliament of Italy. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) ^[3] He was elected to the National Committee of the party during its eighth national congress in 1956, largely thanks to the support offered by Palmiro Togliatti, who wanted to involve younger politicians in the central direction of the party. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Palmiro Togliatti ( March 26 1893 - August 21 1964) was an Italian politician the leader of the Italian Communist Party He became responsible for the commission for Southern Italy within the National Committee. ^[4]

Later on in the same year, the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and its military suppression by the Soviet Union occurred. The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 ( Hungarian: 1956-os forradalom) was a spontaneous nationwide Revolt against the Stalinist government of The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The leadership of the Italian Communist Party labelled the insurgents as counter-revolutionaries, and the party newspaper L'Unità referred to them as "thugs" and "despicable agents provocateurs". l'Unità is an Italian Left-wing Newspaper, originally founded as official newspaper of the Italian Communist Party and today strictly Napolitano complied with the party-sponsored position on this matter, a choice he would repeatedly declare to have become uncomfortable with, developing what his autobiography describes as a "grievous self-critical torment". He would reason that his compliance was motivated by concerns about the role of the Italian Communist Party as "inseparable from the fates of the socialist forces guided by the USSR" as opposed to "imperialist" forces. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 ^[1]

The decision to support the USSR against the Hungarian revolutionaries generated a split in the Italian Communist Party, and even the CGIL (Italy's largest trade union, then overtly communist in nature) refused to conform to the party-sponsored position and applauded the revolution, on the basis that the eighth national congress of the Italian Communist Party had indeed stated that the "Italian way to socialism" was to be democratic and specific to the nation. Template talkInfobox Union for usage --> The Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL is a national Trade A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming These views were supported in the party by Giorgio Amendola, whom Napolitano would always look up to as a teacher. Giorgio Amendola ( 21 November 1907 - 5 June 1980) was an Italian writer and politician Frequently seen together, Giorgio Amendola and Giorgio Napolitano would jokingly be referred to by friends as (respectively) Giorgio 'o chiatto and Giorgio 'o sicco ("Giorgio the podgy" and "Giorgio the slim" in the Neapolitan dialect). Neapolitan (autonym napulitano; napoletano is the name given to the varied Italo-Western group of dialects of Southern Italy or more specifically the ^[5]

From the sixties to the dissolution of the Italian Communist Party

Napolitano then became the party's federal secretary in Naples and Caserta and later, between 1966 and 1969, he was coordinator of the secretary's office and of the political office. Caserta is the capital of the Province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. During the 1970s and the 1980s he was the officer responsible first for culture and later for the economic policy and the international relations of the party. Economic policy refers to the actions that Governments take in the economic field.

His political ideas were somewhat moderate in the context of the PCI: in fact he became the leader of the so-called "meliorist wing" (corrente migliorista) of the party, whose members notably included Gerardo Chiaromonte and Emanuele Macaluso. Meliorism was a wing of the Italian Communist Party. Its leader was Giorgio Napolitano, and counted among its number Gerardo Chiaromonte and Emanuele Gerardo Chiaromonte ( Naples, November 29, 1924 – Vico Equense, April 7, 1993) was an Italian Communist politician The term migliorista (from migliore, Italian for "better") was coined with a slightly mocking intent.

In the mid-seventies, Napolitano was invited by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to give a lecture, but the then United States ambassador to Italy, John A. Volpe, refused to grant him a visa on account of his membership in the Communist Party. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An ambassador is the highest ranking Diplomat who represents their country John Anthony Volpe ( December 8, 1908 - November 11, 1994) was a Governor of Massachusetts and a U A visa (short for the Latin carta visa, lit "a document that has been seen" is a document issued by a Country giving an individual Between 1977 and 1981 Napolitano had some secret meetings with the United States ambassador Richard Gardner, at a time when the PCI was seeking contact with the US administration, in the context of its definitive break with its past relationship with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the beginning of eurocommunism, the attempt to develop a theory and practice more adequate to the democratic countries of Western Europe. Eurocommunism was a new trend in the 1970s and 1980s within various Western European communist parties to develop a theory and practice of social transformation that In 2006, when Napolitano was elected President of the Italian Republic, Gardner stated to AP Television News that he considered Napolitano "a real statesman", "a true believer in democracy" and "a friend of the United States [who] will carry out his office with impartiality and fairness". The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio ^[6] Thanks to this role and in part by the good offices of Giulio Andreotti, in the 1980s Napolitano was able to travel to the United States and give lectures at Aspen, Colorado and at Harvard University. Giulio Andreotti (born 14 January 1919 in Rome) is an Italian Politician of the centrist Christian Democratic party The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the County seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United He has since visited and lectured in the United States several times.

After the dissolution

After the dissolution of the Italian Communist Party, in 1991, Napolitano joined the Democratic Party of the Left, later Democrats of the Left (Democratici di Sinistra, or DS). The Democratic Party of the Left ( Partito Democratico della Sinistra, PDS was a post- communist democratic-socialist political party in Italy The Democrats of the Left ( Democratici di Sinistra, DS was a left-wing Italian political party and part of the Olive Tree electoral coalition Successively, he served as President of the Chamber of Deputies (1992–1994), and between 1996 and 1998 he was the first former Communist to become Minister of the Interior, a role traditionally occupied by Christian Democrats. The Italian Chamber of Deputies ( Camera dei Deputati) is the Lower house of the Parliament of Italy. This is a list of Italian Ministers of the Interior since 1861 In this capacity, he took part together with fellow lawmaker and Cabinet Minister Ms. Livia Turco in drafting the government-sponsored law on immigration control (Legislative Decree No. Livia Turco (born 13 February 1955 in Cuneo) is an Italian politician member of the Democrats of the Left party and currently 40 of March 6, 1998), better known as the "Turco-Napolitano bill". He also served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004. A Member of the European Parliament ( English abbreviation MEP) is a member of the European Union 's legislative body the European Parliament. In October 2005, he was named senator for life, and was therefore one of the last two to be appointed by President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, together with Sergio Pininfarina. PortalCurrent events News collections and sources See WikipediaNews collections and sources. A senator for life is a member of the Senate elected or appointed for lifetime This is the list of Presidents of the Italian Republic with the title it '''''Presidente della Repubblica''''' since 1948 (born 9 December 1920) is an Italian politician and banker He was Prime Minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994 and was President from 1999 Sergio Pininfarina (born Sergio Farina on 8 September 1926 in Turin, Italy) is a renowned Italian Automobile designer

Election as president

Main article: Italian presidential election, 2006

In 2006, his name was frequently suggested for the office of President of the Italian Republic. On May 2, 2006, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy Fausto Bertinotti, in agreement with Senate Speaker Franco Marini, Napolitano was the second person proposed by the centre-left majority coalition, The Union, in place of Massimo D'Alema, after the chance of a joint vote on D'Alema had been rejected by leaders of the centre-right coalition The House of Freedoms. The Union ( Italian: L'Unione) was an Italian Centre-left Political party coalition led by Romano Prodi, the Massimo D'Alema (born April 20 1949) is an Italian politician Casa delle Libertà ( CDL; Italian for House of Freedoms) was a major Italian Center-right Political alliance led by Even though Napolitano appeared at first a candidate the House of Freedoms could converge on, the proposal was rejected much like that of D'Alema.

The centre-left majority coalition, on May 7, 2006, officially endorsed Giorgio Napolitano as its candidate in the special election that began on May 8. Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. On May 2, 2006, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy Fausto Bertinotti, in agreement with Senate Speaker Franco Marini, The Vatican endorsed him as President through its official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, just after the Union named him as its candidate, as did Marco Follini, former secretary of the UDC, the right-leaning Christian party, member of the House of Freedoms. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic L'Osservatore Romano ( English: The Roman Observer) is the "semi-official" Newspaper of the Holy See. Marco Follini (born on 26 September 1954) is an Italian centre-wing politician The Union of Christian and Centre Democrats ( Unione dei Democratici Cristiani e di Centro, UDC is a christian-democratic Italian political party.

Napolitano was elected on May 10, in the fourth round of voting—the first round which required only an absolute majority, unlike the former three which required two-thirds of the votes—with 543 votes (out of a possible 1009). He was the first former Communist to become President of Italy, as well as the third Neapolitan after Enrico De Nicola and Giovanni Leone. Enrico Roberto De Nicola ( November 9, 1877 – October 1, 1959) was an Italian Jurist, Journalist, Giovanni Leone ( 3 November 1908 &ndash 9 November 2001) was an Italian politician After his election, expressions of esteem toward his person and his authority as future President of the Italian Republic were made by both members of the Union and of the House of Freedoms (who had issued a blank vote), such as Pier Ferdinando Casini. The President of the Italian Republic (Presidente della Repubblica Italiana is the Head of State of Italy, and as such is intended to represent national unity None of the Above ( NOTA) or against all is a Ballot choice in some Jurisdictions or Organizations placed so as to allow the Pier Ferdinando "Pierferdinando" Casini (born 3 December 1955) is an Italian Politician. ^[7] Nevertheless, some Italian right-wing newspapers, such as il Giornale, expressed concerns about his communist past. Il Giornale is a Daily newspaper published in Milan, Italy Characterized from its birth by strong opposition to the left-wing parties of its ^[8] He started his term on May 15.

Tenure

On July 9, 2006, Napolitano was present at the FIFA World Cup final, in which the Italian team defeated France and won its fourth World Cup, and afterwards he joined the players' celebrations. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament He is the second President of the Italian Republic to be present at a triumphal World Cup final, after Sandro Pertini. Alessandro (Sandro Pertini ( September 25, 1896 - February 24, 1990) was an Italian socialist, probably the most popular

On September 26, 2006, Napolitano made an official visit to Budapest, Hungary, where he paid tribute to the fallen in the 1956 revolution, which he initially opposed as member of the Italian Communist Party, by laying a wreath at Imre Nagy's grave. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 ( Hungarian: 1956-os forradalom) was a spontaneous nationwide Revolt against the Stalinist government of ^[9]

Napolitano attending to the Army Parade of the Republic Day, June 2, 2006. The birth of the Italian Republic (officially on June 2, 1946) is a key event of Italian contemporary history. Events 455 - The Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

On February 10, 2007 a diplomatic crisis arose between Italy and Croatia, after President Napolitano publicly condemned the foibe massacres on the Foibe Memory Day. Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting Negotiations between representatives of groups or states Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between The Foibe massacres were killings attributed to Yugoslav Partisans during and shortly after World War II in Istria. The European Commission did not comment on this event, but did comment (and partly condemn) the response by Croatian president Stjepan Mesić, who described Napolitano's statement as racist, because Napolitano did not refer either to Slovenians or Croatians as a nation, when he spoke about a "Slavic annexationist aspiration"" for the Julian March^[10] (at the time, Slovenians and Croatians fought together in the Yugoslav Resistance Movement). Stjepan "Stipe" Mesić (born December 24, 1934) is a Croatian politician The Julian March (Venezia Giulia Croatian and Slovene: Julijska Krajina; Julisch Venetien Venesia Jułia Vignesie Julie Carsia Julia is a former political The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans, ( Serbo-Croatian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene: Partizani Another matter of debate in Croatia was that the Italian President made awards to relatives of 25 foibe victims, who included the last fascist Italian prefect in Zadar, Vincenzo Serrentino, convicted to death in 1947 in Šibenik. Prefect (from the Latin praefectus, perfect participle of praeficere: "make in front" i Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea, with a population of 72717 (2001 Šibenik is a historic town in Croatia, population 51553 (2001 ^[11] That was seen by Mesić as "historic revisionism" and open support for revanchism. Revanchism (from French revanche " Revenge " is a term used since the 1870s to describe a political manifestation of the will to reverse territorial President Napolitano's remarks on the foibe massacres were praised by both centre-left and centre-right in Italy, and both coalitions condemned Mesić's statements, while the whole of Croatia stood by Mesić, who later acknowledged that Napolitano didn't want to put in discussion the Peace Treaty of 1947.

On February 21, 2007, Prime Minister Romano Prodi submitted his resignation after losing a foreign policy vote in the Parliament;^[12] Napolitano held talks with the political groups in parliament, and on February 24 rejected the resignation, prompting Prodi to ask for a new vote of confidence. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. In Italy, the Prime Minister of Italy (officially the President of the Council of Ministers, Italian Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri) is the country's (born 9 August 1939 is an Italian politician and statesman He served as President of the Council of Ministers (prime minister of Italy twice from 17 May The Parliament of Italy ( Parlamento Italiano) is the national parliament of Italy. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the A Motion of Confidence is a motion of support proposed by a government in a Parliament or other assembly of elected representatives to give members of parliament (or ^[13] Prodi won the vote in the upper house on February 28^[14] and in the lower house on 2 March^[15], allowing his cabinet to remain in office. Events 202 BC - coronation ceremony of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han takes place initiating four centuries of the Han Dynasty 's rule Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good

Main article: 2008 Italian political crisis

On 24 January 2008 Romano Prodi lost a vote of confidence in the Senate by a vote of 161 to 156 votes, after the Popular-UDEUR party ended its support for the government. On 24 January 2008 Prime Minister of Italy Romano Prodi lost a vote of confidence in the Senate by a vote of 161 to 156 Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common (born 9 August 1939 is an Italian politician and statesman He served as President of the Council of Ministers (prime minister of Italy twice from 17 May The UDEUR Populars ( Popolari UDEUR, UDEUR is a small centrist and christian-democratic Italian political party. ^[16] President Napolitano requested the president of the Senate, Franco Marini, to assess the possibility to form a caretaker government. Franco Marini (born 9 April 1933) is an Italian politician and a prominent member of the centre-left Democratic Party. In Politics, a caretaker government rules temporarily A caretaker government is often set up following a War until stable Democratic rule can be restored On 4 February 2008 Marini acknowledged impossibility to form an interim government due to the unavailability of the centre-right parties,^[17] and on 6 February 2008 Napolitano dissolved the Parliament. Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[18] Elections was held on 13 April and 14 April 2008,^[19] together with the administrative elections, and won by Berlusconi, depriving Prodi of his office. A snap general election was held in Italy on 13 April and 14 April 2008. Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

Trivia

• In his youth, Napolitano was an actor. He played in a comedy by Salvatore Di Giacomo and as leading actor in Viaggio a Cardiff by William Butler Yeats, both at Teatro Mercadante in Naples. Salvatore Di Giacomo ( March 12 1860 &ndash April 4 1934) was a Neapolitan Poet, Songwriter and Playwright. A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead, plays the role of the Protagonist in a film or play Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the He later measured himself against Joyce and Eliot. James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 &ndash 13 January 1941 was an Irish expatriate writer widely considered to be one of the most influential writers of the Mary Ann (Marian Evans ( 22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880) better known by her Pen name George Eliot, was an

• He has often been cited as the author of a collection of sonnets in Neapolitan language, published under the pseudonym Tommaso Pignatelli, entitled "Pe cupià ’o chiarfo" ("To mimic the downpour"). The sonnet is one of the poetic forms that can be found in Lyric poetry from Europe. Neapolitan (autonym napulitano; napoletano is the name given to the varied Italo-Western group of dialects of Southern Italy or more specifically the A pseudonym is a fictitious alternative to a person's legal name (see Alias) He denied this in 1997 and, again, on the occasion of his presidential election, when his staff described the attribution of authoriship to Napolitano as a "journalistic myth". ^[20]

• He has been nicknamed "Re Umberto" (i. e. "King Umberto") both for his physical likeness to Umberto II of Italy and for his measured manners. Umberto II, occasionally anglicized as Humbert II, (September 15 1904 - March 18 1983 the last King of Italy, nicknamed the King of May ( Re Another nickname he has been given is "Il principe rosso" ("The red prince"), with "red" alluding to communism.

Notes

External links

• BBC News. Napolitano elected Italy's leader. Retrieved on 2006-05-10. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England.