Biography

• Born on 9th December 1920 in Livorno.
• After gaining a university degree in Literature and a further specialization in 1941 at the University of Pisa he passed his state examination in Law in 1946. The same year he joined the Banca d’Italia, and was appointed into the central administration of the bank in 1960. After promotion to Secretary General of the Banca d’Italia in 1973, then in 1976 to Vice Director General and in 1978 to Director General, he was appointed to Governor of the Central Bank and President of the Italian Exchange Office in October 1979.
• From April 1993 to May 1994 he was Prime Minister of a caretaker government.
• Between April 1996 and May 1999 he served his country as Minister for Budgetary and Economic Planning in the Prodi and D’Alema governments.
• Following Oscar Luigi Scalfaro he was elected at the first ballot on 13th May 1999 as 10th President of the Italian Republic (until 2006).
• Died on 16th September 2016.