Legislature VI of Italy

6th legislature of the Italian Republic (1972–1976)

  DC (266)
  •   PCI (179)
  •   PSI (61)
  •   MSI (56)
  •   PSDI (29)
  •   PLI (20)
  •   PRI (15)
  •   Others (3)
    • Senate political groups
    •   DC (135)
    •   PCI (94)
    •   PSI (33)
    •   MSI (26)
    •   PSDI (11)
    •   PLI (8)
    •   PRI (5)
    •   Others (2)
    Elections
    Chamber of Deputies voting system
    Proportional
    Senate voting system
    Proportional
    Last general election
    7 May 1972Meeting placePalazzo Montecitorio, Rome (C)Palazzo Madama, Rome (S)WebsiteSixth Legislature – Chamber of Deputies
    Sixth Legislature – SenateConstitutionConstitution of Italy

    The Legislature VI of Italy (Italian: VI Legislatura della Repubblica Italiana) was the 6th legislature of the Italian Republic, and lasted from 25 May 1972 until 4 July 1976.[1][2] Its composition was the one resulting from the general election of 7 May 1972.

    Main chronology

    After a short Giulio Andreotti's government, Mariano Rumor returned to the office of prime minister, leading a centre-left coalition composed by DC, PSI, PRI, and PSDI from July 1973 to March 1974. After this government collapsed, Rumor formed a new coalition from March until October 1974.[3][4]

    During Rumor's second term, the Parliament approved a law on 2 March 1974 with which legal minimum for pensions was raised to 27.75% of the average industrial wage for 1973. A law approved on 16 July 1974 extended family allowances to INPS pensioners, in lieu of child supplements. While a bill passed in August 1974 extended hospital assistance to all those not previously covered by any scheme.[5]

    Weathering a cabinet resignation in June 1974, Rumor's final cabinet fell in October 1974 after failing to come to an agreement on how to deal with rising economic inflation.[6][7]

    In November 1974, President Giovanni Leone gave Aldo Moro the task of form a new cabinet; Moro was sworn in on 23 November, at the head a cabinet composed by DC and PRI, externally supported by PSI and PSDI.[8] Even during his second term as prime minister, the government implemented a series of important social reforms.[9] A law, approved on 9 June 1975, increased the number of occupational diseases and extended the duration of linked insurance and benefit; while a bill, approved on 3 June 1975, introduced various improvements for pensioners. Moreover, the multiplying coefficient was raised to 2% and it was applied to average earnings of the best 3 years in the last 10 years of work and automatic annual adjustment of minimum pensions. A law approved 27 December 1975 implemented ad hoc upgradings of cash benefits for certain diseases.

    Despite the tensions within government's majority, the close relations between Moro and the communist leader, Enrico Berlinguer, guaranteed a certain stability to Moro's governments, allowing them a capacity to act that went beyond the premises that had seen them born.[10]

    Moro IV Cabinet, with the republican leader Ugo La Malfa as Deputy Prime Minister, started a first dialogue with the PCI, with the aim of beginning a new phase to strengthen the Italian democratic system.[11] However, in 1976 the PSI secretary, Francesco De Martino, withdrew the external support to the government and Moro was forced to resign.[12]

    On 4 May 1976 President Giovanni Leone dismissed the Parliament and called a snap election.

    1974 divorce referendum

    Amintore Fanfani and Aldo Moro in 1975

    In June 1973 Amintore Fanfani was elected secretary of the Christian Democracy for a second term, replacing his former protégé Arnaldo Forlani, who was now a supporter of centrist policies. As such, Fanfani led the campaign for the referendum on repealing the law allowing divorce, which was approved by the parliament in 1970.[13] Those voting "yes" wanted to outlaw divorce as had been the case before the law came into effect, and those voting "no" wanted to retain the law and their newly gained right to divorce. The voting method caused significant confusion with many people not understanding that they had to vote "no" to be able to divorce or vote "yes" to outlaw divorce.[14]

    The DC and the neo-fascist MSI intensely campaigned for a yes vote to abolish the law and make divorce illegal again. Their main themes were the safeguarding of the traditional nuclear family model and the Roman Catechism;[15][16] while most left-wing political forces, including PCI and PSI, supported the "no" faction. Fanfani thought that a "no" victory could have given him the control of in his own party again; in fact other key figures like Moro, Rumor, Emilio Colombo and Francesco Cossiga, who believed in the defeat at the referendum, kept a low profile during the campaign.[17]

    Despite Fanfani's activism, the "no" front was defeated by margin of 59.3% to 40.7% on a voter turnout of 87.7%, thus allowing the divorce laws to remain in force.[18] The soundly defeat in the divorce referendum forced Fanfani's resignation as party secretary in July 1975. The ideological distances between DC and other allies of the Organic Centre-left coalition emerged during the referendum campaign were one of the main factor that led to the crisis of that political alliance in the mid 1970s.[19]

    Government

    Prime Minister Party Term of office Government Composition
    Took office Left office
    Giulio Andreotti
    (1919–2013)     		Christian Democracy 26 June 1972 7 July 1973 Andreotti II DC  • PLI  • PSDI
    (with PRI's external support)
    Mariano Rumor
    (1915–1990)     		Christian Democracy 7 July 1973 14 March 1974 Rumor IV DC  • PSI  • PSDI  • PRI
    (Organic Centre-left)
    14 March 1974 23 November 1974 Rumor V DC  • PSI  • PSDI
    (Organic Centre-left)
    Aldo Moro
    (1916–1978)     		Christian Democracy 23 November 1974 12 February 1976 Moro IV DC  • PRI
    (with PSI and PSDI's external support)
    12 February 1976 29 July 1976 Moro V DC
    (with PSI, PRI and PSDI's external support)

    Parliamentary composition

    Chamber of Deputies

    Sandro Pertini, President of the Chamber of Deputies
    Parliamentary groups in the Chamber of Deputies
    Initial composition[20]
    (25 May 1972)     		Final composition[20]
    (4 July 1976)
    Parliamentary group Seats Parliamentary group Seats Change
    Christian Democracy 266 Christian Democracy 263 Decrease 3
    Italian Communist Party 179 Italian Communist Party 175 Decrease 4
    Italian Socialist Party 61 Italian Socialist Party 61 Steady
    Italian Social Movement 56 Italian Social Movement 55 Decrease 1
    Italian Democratic Socialist Party 29 Italian Democratic Socialist Party 30 Increase 1
    Italian Liberal Party 20 Italian Liberal Party 20 Steady
    Italian Republican Party 15 Italian Republican Party 15 Steady
    Mixed 3 Mixed 10 Increase 7
    Südtiroler Volkspartei 3 Südtiroler Volkspartei 3 Steady
    Independent–Non inscrits 7 Increase 7
    Total seats 630 Total seats 630 Steady

    Senate of the Republic

    Presidents of the Senate: Amintore Fanfani (1972–1973) and Giovanni Spagnolli (1973–1976)
    Parliamentary groups in the Senate of the Republic
    Initial composition[21]
    (25 May 1972)     		Final composition[21]
    (4 July 1976)
    Parliamentary group Seats Parliamentary group Seats Change
    Christian Democracy 136 Christian Democracy 136 Steady
    Italian Communist Party 94 Italian Communist Party 94 Steady
    Italian Socialist Party 33 Italian Socialist Party 33 Steady
    Italian Social Movement 26 Italian Social Movement 26 Steady
    Italian Democratic Socialist Party 11 Italian Democratic Socialist Party 11 Steady
    Italian Liberal Party 8 Italian Liberal Party 8 Steady
    Mixed 7 Mixed 7 Steady
    Italian Republican Party 5 Italian Republican Party 5 Steady
    Südtiroler Volkspartei 2 Südtiroler Volkspartei 2 Steady
    Total seats 315 Total seats 315 Steady

    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
    Antonio Segni Former President of Italy ex officio Previous legislature 1 December 1972 (deceased)
    Eugenio Montale Merits in the literary field President Giuseppe Saragat Previous legislature Next legislature
    Pietro Nenni Merits in the social field President Giuseppe Saragat Previous legislature Next legislature
    Giuseppe Saragat Former President of Italy ex officio Previous legislature Next legislature
    Amintore Fanfani Merits in the social field President Giovanni Leone Previous legislature Next legislature

    References

    1. ^ "Camera dei Deputati – 6ª Legislatura". www.storia.camera.it (in Italian). Retrieved 13 February 2021.
    2. ^ "Senato della Repubblica – 6ª Legislatura". www.senato.it (in Italian). Retrieved 13 February 2021.
    3. ^ "NEW GOVERNMENT IS FORMED IN ITALY". The New York Times. 15 March 1974. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
    4. ^ Ginsborg, Paul (1 January 2003). A History of Contemporary Italy: Society and Politics, 1943–1988. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 9781403961532. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
    5. ^ Growth to Limits: The Western European Welfare States Since World War II Volume 4 edited by Peter Flora
    6. ^ Paul, Hofman (11 June 1974). "RUMOR'S CABINET RESIGNS IN ITALY". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
    7. ^ Shenker, Israel (4 October 1974). "RUMOR'S CABINET RESIGNS IN ITALY". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
    8. ^ IV Governo Moro – Coalizione politica DC–PRI, Della Republica
    9. ^ Aldo Moro: uomo del riformismo e del compromesso, Falsa Riga
    10. ^ Berlinguer, teoria e tecnica del compromesso storico, Rai Storia
    11. ^ Compromesso storico, Enciclopedia Treccani
    12. ^ Governo Moro V, governo.it
    13. ^ Legge n. 898 del 1 dicembre 1970, Gazzetta Ufficiale
    14. ^ Referendum divorzio, 45 anni fa il No all'abrogazione della legge
    15. ^ Divorzio, 40 anni fa la “retorica” di Fanfani per fare abrogare la legge
    16. ^ Il "no" che cambiò l'Italia: la storia del referendum sul divorzio, Corriere della Sera
    17. ^ Amintore Fanfani, Il Post
    18. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1048 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
    19. ^ Benigno Zaccagnini nel futuro della politica, Romano Prodi
    20. ^ a b "VI Legislatura della Repubblica italiana / Legislature / Camera dei deputati – Portale storico". storia.camera.it (in Italian). Retrieved 13 February 2021.
    21. ^ a b "senato.it – Composizione dei gruppi parlamentari nella VI Legislatura". www.senato.it (in Italian). Retrieved 13 February 2021.
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