Pier Ferdinando Casini
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This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2008) |
| Onorevole Pier Ferdinando Casini |
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|---|---|
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| President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office May 31, 2001 – April 29, 2006 |
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| President | Carlo Azeglio Ciampi |
| Preceded by | Luciano Violante |
| Succeeded by | Fausto Bertinotti |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office July 12, 1983 – March 15, 2013 |
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| Member of the Senate | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office March 15, 2013 |
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| President of the Centrist Democrat International | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2006 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | December 3, 1955 Bologna, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Political party | UDC (since 2002) CCD (1994-2002) DC (before 1994) |
Pier Ferdinando Casini (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpjɛr ferdiˈnando kaˈzini]; Bologna, 3 December 1955) is an Italian politician.[1]
Biography
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President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies from 2001 to 2006.[2] Casini is currently Honorary President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Co-President of the Christian Democratic International (with Vicente Fox), and majority faction leader of the Union of the Centre (UDC).Graduated with a degree in Law, he was first elected in 1983 for the Christian Democracy party. In 1993, he was amongst the founders of the Christian Democratic Centre (CCD), which merged into UDC in 2002. In 2001, after Berlusconi's victory in the general election, Casini was chosen by the newly-formed parliament as President of the Chamber of Deputies (the Italian lower house of parliament). Up to 2006, with his Union of Christian and Centre Democrats, he was widely regarded as one of the primary members of the House of Freedoms, and sometimes spoken of as a possible successor to Berlusconi himself as leader of the coalition. However, as the campaign for the 2008 Italian elections began, Casini officially detached himself from Berlusconi, refusing to enter his 'People of Freedom' (PdL, name of the new party built on the House of Freedoms coalition), preferring to run alone. In a speech to his UDC party, Casini said that "not everyone is for sale", in a not so veiled statement about Berlusconi's political tactics. Casini ran on a purely 'centrist' platform, founding the new Union of the Centre party along with Savino Pezzotta's Rosa Bianca, and negotiating with other centre parties such as the UDEUR of Clemente Mastella. After 2008, he remained in opposition. At the 2009 Administrative elections, alliances were decided on a local bases, sometimes with Berlusconi PdL,and sometimes with the center-left Democratic Party.
Notes
After his divorce from Roberta Lubich (mother of his two daughters, Maria Carolina and Benedetta), he started dating and eventually moved in with Azzurra Caltagirone, daughter of the famous Roman entrepreneur and publisher Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone. Later they would have a daughter and married on 27 October 2007.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Luciano Violante |
President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies 2001-2006 |
Succeeded by Fausto Bertinotti |
| Italian Chamber of Deputies | ||
| Preceded by Title jointly held |
Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies
Legislatures: IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI |
Succeeded by Title jointly held |
| Italian Senate | ||
| Preceded by Title jointly held |
Member of the Italian Senate
Legislatures: XVII |
Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| New title | Secretary of the Christian Democratic Centre 1994–2001 |
Succeeded by Marco Follini |
| Leader of the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 2002–present |
Incumbent | |
| Preceded by José María Aznar |
Co-President of the Christian Democrat International
Serving alongside Vicente Fox |
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| Preceded by Luca Volontè |
UDC
Group Leader at the Chamber of Deputies |
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References
- ^ Mark Donovan,; Paolo Onofri (2009). Italian politics: frustrated aspirations for change. Berghahn Books. p. 100ff. ISBN 978-1-84545-638-2. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
- ^ Pope John Paul II (26 November 2003). "MESSAGE OF JOHN PAUL II TO HON. MR PIER FERDINANDO CASINI, PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES". Vatican. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
