Giovanni Spadolini

Prime Minister of Italy

21 June 1925 Florence, Tuscany, Kingdom of Italy

4 August 1994(1994-08-04) (69) Rome, Lazio, Italy

28 June 1981 – 1 December 1982

Senator for Life Giovanni SpadoliniPrime Minister of ItalyIn office 28 June 1981 – 1 December 1982PresidentAlessandro PertiniPreceded by Arnaldo ForlaniSucceeded by Amintore FanfaniPresident of the Italian SenateIn office 2 July 1987 – 14 April 1994Preceded by Giovanni MalagodiSucceeded by Carlo ScognamiglioActing President of ItalyIn office 28 April 1992 – 28 May 1992Prime Minister Giulio AndreottiPreceded by Francesco CossigaSucceeded by Oscar Luigi ScalfaroMinister of DefenceIn office 4 August 1983 – 18 April 1987Prime Minister Bettino CraxiPreceded by Lelio LagorioSucceeded by Remo GaspariMinister of Public EducationIn office 20 March 1979 – 4 August 1979Prime Minister Giulio AndreottiPreceded by Mario PediniSucceeded by Salvatore ValituttiMinister for Culture and EnvironmentIn office 21 December 1974 – 12 February 1976Prime Minister Aldo MoroPreceded by NoneSucceeded by Mario Pedini Member of the Parliament Member of the SenateIn office 2 May 1991 – 4 August 1994 For lifeNominated by Francesco CossigaIn office 25 May 1972 – 1 May 1991ConstituencyMilan Personal detailsBorn(1925-06-21 ) 21 June 1925 Florence, Tuscany, Kingdom of ItalyDied4 August 1994(1994-08-04) (aged 69) Rome, Lazio, ItalyNationalityItalianPolitical partyItalian Republican Party (1959-1994) Alma materUniversity of FlorenceProfessionTeacher, journalist, historian Giovanni Spadolini (21 June 1925 – 4 August 1994) was an Italian politician and statesman, who served as the 44th Prime Minister of Italy. He has been a leading figure in the Republican Party and the first head of a government to not be a member of Christian Democrats since 1945. He was also a newspaper editor, journalist and historian. He is considered a highly respected intellectual for his literary works and his cultural dimension. Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Florence, he was the author of numerous historical works. He was also a journalist and editor-in-chief of the Bolognese newspaper Il Resto del Carlino, then of the Milanese newspaper Il Corriere della Sera. Spadolini was the first Italian Minister of Culture and Environment from 1974 to 1976. He became Prime Minister in 1981 and he led two successive cabinets which were supported by a coalition of parties in Parliament but this only lasted a few months. He was Minister of Defence in the governments headed by Socialist leader Bettino Craxi from 1983 to 1987 before being elected President of the Senate. In 1991, Spadolini was appointed Lifetime Senator by President Francesco Cossiga.