Legislature V of Italy

ElectionsProportionalProportional19 May 1968Meeting placePalazzo Montecitorio, Rome (C)Palazzo Madama, Rome (S)WebsiteFifth Legislature – Chamber of Deputies
Fifth Legislature – SenateConstitutionConstitution of Italy

The Legislature V of Italy (Italian: V Legislatura della Repubblica Italiana) was the 5th legislature of the Italian Republic, and lasted from 5 June 1968 until 24 May 1972.^[1][2] Its composition was the one resulting from the general election of 19 May 1968.

It was the first republican legislature to be dismissed before its term's natural expiration.

Main chronology

The period of the late 1960s–1970s came to be known as the Opposti Estremismi, (from left-wing and right-wing extremists riots), later renamed anni di piombo ("years of lead") because of a wave of political terrorist attacks.

After another short Leone's government, on 12 December 1968 Mariano Rumor sworn is as prime minister for the first time, leading a government composed by DC, PSU and PRI.^[3]

Between 1968 and 1970 a notable number of progressive reforms were carried out. On 11 December 1969 a new law extended access to higher education to all students holding a higher secondary school diploma. It was formerly limited to students who came from classical, and in some cases, scientific, curricula. Another bill, approved on 30 April 1969, introduced broad provisions covering pensions under the general scheme. The multiplying coefficient was increased to 1.85%, applied to average earnings of the best 3 years in the last 5 years of work (maximum pension, after 40 years of contribution: 74% of previous earnings). A social pension was also introduced for people over the age of 65 with low incomes and not eligible for any type of pension. In addition, cost of living indexation for all pensions (with the exception of social pensions) was introduced.^[4]

Rumor led three different governments. The second one, from August 1969 to February 1970, was a DC-only government; its collapse led to a 45-day long period without government. After this period, which included an attempt by former Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani to form a government, Rumor led a new coalition with PSI, PRI and PSDI from March until July 1970.^[5]

After another centre-left government led by Emilio Colombo, in February 1972 Giulio Andreotti was asked to form a new government which didn't obtained the confidence of the Parliament. On 28 February 1972 President Giovanni Leone dismissed the Parliament and called the first snap election in the history of the Italian Republic.^{[citation needed]}

Presidential election

On 9 December 1971 the Parliament and the representatives of the 20 Italian regions met to elect the fifth President of Italy. On 24 December 1971 the Christian democrat Giovanni Leone was elected on the twenty-third ballot with 518 votes out of 1008.^{[citation needed]}

Government

Prime Minister			Party	Term of office		Government	Composition
				Took office	Left office
		Giovanni Leone (1908–2001)	Christian Democracy	24 June 1968	12 December 1968	Leone II	DC (with PSU and PRI's external support)
		Mariano Rumor (1915–1990)	Christian Democracy	12 December 1968	5 August 1969	Rumor I	DC  • PSU  • PRI (Organic Centre-left)
				5 August 1969	27 March 1970	Rumor II	DC (with PSI, PSDI and PRI's external support)
				27 March 1970	6 August 1970	Rumor III	DC  • PSI  • PSDI  • PRI (Organic Centre-left)
		Emilio Colombo (1920–2013)	Christian Democracy	6 August 1970	17 February 1972	Colombo	DC  • PSI  • PSDI  • PRI (Organic Centre-left)
		Giulio Andreotti (1919–2013)	Christian Democracy	17 February 1972	26 June 1972	Andreotti I	DC

Parliamentary composition

Chamber of Deputies

• President: Sandro Pertini (PSI), elected on 5 June 1968
• Vice Presidents: Guido Gonella (DC, until 24 June 1968), Benigno Zaccagnini (DC), Lucio Mario Luzzatto (PSIUP), Arrigo Boldrini (PCI), Roberto Lucifredi (DC, from 24 July 1968)

Parliamentary groups in the Chamber of Deputies

Initial composition[6] (5 June 1968)					Final composition[6] (24 May 1972)
Parliamentary group			Seats		Parliamentary group			Seats	Change
	Christian Democracy		266			Christian Democracy		263	3
	Italian Communist Party		177			Italian Communist Party		166	11
	Unified Socialist Party		91			Italian Socialist Party		62
						Italian Democratic Socialist Party		29
	Italian Liberal Party		31			Italian Liberal Party		30	1
	Italian Social Movement		24			Italian Social Movement		25	1
	Italian Socialist Party of Proletarian Unity		23			Italian Socialist Party of Proletarian Unity		22	1
	Italian Republican Party		9			Italian Republican Party		9
	Italian Democratic Party of Monarchist Unity		6			Italian Democratic Party of Monarchist Unity		5	1
	Mixed		3			Mixed		19	16
		Südtiroler Volkspartei	3				Südtiroler Volkspartei	3
							Independent–Non inscrits	16	16
Total seats			630		Total seats			630

Senate of the Republic

• President: Amintore Fanfani (DC), elected on 5 June 1968
• Vice Presidents: Giuseppe Spataro (DC), Domenico Macaggi (PSI, till 9 March 1969), Pietro Secchia (PCI), Pietro Caleffi (PSI, from 13 May 1970), Italo Viglianesi (PSI, from 26 March 1970)

Parliamentary groups in the Senate of the Republic

Initial composition[7] (5 June 1968)					Final composition[7] (24 May 1972)
Parliamentary group			Seats		Parliamentary group			Seats	Change
	Christian Democracy		135			Christian Democracy		137	2
	Italian Communist Party		101			Italian Communist Party		102	1
	Unified Socialist Party		46			Italian Socialist Party		40
						Italian Democratic Socialist Party		6
	Italian Liberal Party		16			Italian Liberal Party		16
	Italian Social Movement		11			Italian Social Movement		13	1
	Mixed		6			Mixed		2	4
		Italian Democratic Party of Monarchist Unity	2				Italian Democratic Party of Monarchist Unity	0	2
		Italian Republican Party	2				Italian Republican Party	0	2
		Südtiroler Volkspartei	2				Südtiroler Volkspartei	2
Total seats			315		Total seats			315

Senators for Life

Senator	Motivation	Appointed by	From	Till
Giovanni Gronchi	Former President of Italy	ex officio	Previous legislature	Next legislature
Cesare Merzagora	Merits in the social field	President Antonio Segni	Previous legislature	Next legislature
Ferruccio Parri	Merits in the social field	President Antonio Segni	Previous legislature	Next legislature
Meuccio Ruini	Merits in the social and scientific field	President Antonio Segni	Previous legislature	6 March 1970 (deceased)
Antonio Segni	Former President of Italy	ex officio	Previous legislature	Next legislature
Eugenio Montale	Merits in the literary field	President Giuseppe Saragat	Previous legislature	Next legislature
Giovanni Leone	Merits in the social field	President Giuseppe Saragat	Previous legislature	29 December 1971 (elected President of Italy)
Pietro Nenni	Merits in the social field	President Giuseppe Saragat	25 November 1970	Next legislature
Giuseppe Saragat	Former President of Italy	ex officio	29 December 1971	Next legislature
Amintore Fanfani	Merits in the social field	President Giovanni Leone	10 March 1972	Next legislature

Gallery

• 
  Giovanni Leone with Sandro Pertini, President of the Chamber of Deputies, in June 1968
• 
  Confidence vote on Rumor III Cabinet at the Chamber of Deputies in March 1970
• 
  Giovanni Leone presidential inauguration on 29 December 1971

References