Christian Democracy was a Christian democratic political party in Italy. The DC was founded on 15 December 1943 in the Italian Social Republic as the ideal successor of the Italian People's Party, which had the same symbol, a crusader shield. As a Catholic-inspired, centrist, catch-all party comprising both centre-right and centre-left political factions, the DC played a dominant role in the politics of Italy for fifty years, and had been part of the government from soon after its inception until its final demise on 16 January 1994 amid the Tangentopoli scandals. Christian Democrats led the Italian government continuously from 1946 until 1981. The party was nicknamed the "White Whale" due to its huge organisation and official colour. During its time in government, the Italian Communist Party was the largest opposition party.
The prime minister of Italy, officially the president of the Council of Ministers, is the head of government of the Italian Republic. The office of president of the Council of Ministers is established by articles 92–96 of the Constitution of Italy; the president of the Council of Ministers is appointed by the president of the Republic and must have the confidence of the Parliament to stay in office.
Alcide Amedeo Francesco De Gasperi was an Italian politician who founded the Christian Democracy party and served as prime minister of Italy in eight successive coalition governments from 1945 to 1953.
Amintore Fanfani was an Italian politician and statesman, who served as 32nd prime minister of Italy for five separate terms. He was one of the best-known Italian politicians after the Second World War and a historical figure of the left-wing faction of Christian Democracy. He is also considered one of the founders of the modern Italian centre-left.
Adone Alvaro Ugo Natale Camillo Zoli was an Italian politician who served as the 35th prime minister of Italy from May 1957 to July 1958; he was the first senator to have ever held the office.
Mario Scelba was an Italian politician who served as the 33rd prime minister of Italy from February 1954 to July 1955. A founder of the Christian Democracy, Scelba was one of the longest-serving Minister of the Interior in the history of the republic, having served at the Viminale Palace in three distinct terms from 1947 to 1962. A fervent pro-Europeanist, he was also President of the European Parliament from March 1969 to March 1971.
Giuseppe Pella was an Italian Christian Democratic politician who served as the 31st prime minister of Italy from 1953 to 1954. He was also Minister of Treasury, Budget and of Foreign Affairs during the 1950s and early 1960s. Pella served as President of the European Parliament from 1954 to 1956 after the death of Alcide De Gasperi.
Attilio Piccioni was an Italian politician. He had been a prominent member of the Christian Democrats.
The Ministry of the Colonies was the ministry of the government of the Kingdom of Italy responsible for the governing of the country's colonial possessions and the direction of their economies. It was set up on 20 November 1912 by Royal Decree n. 1205, turning the Central Direction of Colonial Affairs within the Ministry for Foreign Affairs into a separate ministry. Royal Decree n. 431 of 8 April 1937 renamed it the Ministry of Italian Africa after the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, which resulted in the Italian annexation of the Ethiopian Empire and the birth of Italian East Africa. It was suppressed on 19 April 1953 by law n. 430.
The secondDe Gasperi II government was the first government of the Italian Republic. It was established by Alcide De Gasperi following the referendum of 2 June 1946, in which the Italian people voted in favour of the Republic. It held office from 13 July 1946 until 2 February 1947, a total of 203 days, or 6 months and 18 days.
The third De Gasperi government held office in the Italian Republic from 2 February 1947 until 31 May 1947, a total of 119 days, or 3 months and 30 days.
The fourthDe Gasperi government held office in the Italian Republic from 31 May 1947 to 23 May 1948, a total of 358 days, or 11 months and 22 days.
The fifth De Gasperi government held office in the Italian Republic from 23 May 1948 until 27 January 1950, a total of 614 days, or 1 year, 8 months and 5 days.
The sixth De Gasperi government held office in the Italian Republic from 27 January 1950 until 26 July 1951, a total of 558 days, or 1 year, 5 months and 29 days.
The seventh De Gasperi government held office in the Italian Republic from 26 July 1951 until 16 July 1953, a total of 721 days, or 1 year, 11 months and 20 days.
The Pella government was the 8th government of the Italian Republic. It held office from 17 August 1953 to 18 January 1954, for a total of 154 days. President Luigi Einaudi invited Giuseppe Pella to form an interim cabinet following the fall of the Eighth De Gasperi government in a confidence vote, for the purpose of passing the budget.
Angelo Raffaele Jervolino was an Italian Christian Democrat politician.
Umberto Tupini was an Italian politician. He was minister of public works (1947–1950) in the Government of Italy. He was the mayor of Rome (1956–1958). He served in the Senate of Italy in Legislature I (1948–1953), Legislature II (1953–1958), Legislature III (1958–1963) and Legislature IV (1963–1968). He was a knight grand cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
The Centrism was a political formula that inspired the Atlanticist, anti-communist, and centrist governments of the Italian Republic between the end of the 1940s and the early 1950s. The governments of this period, also known as "The Years of Centrism", were characterized by a coalition pact between the Christian Democracy (DC) and the other minor secular parties.
The firstDe Gasperi government was the last government of the Kingdom of Italy, which was abolished with the referendum of 2 June 1946, in which the Italian people voted in favour of the Republic. It held office from 10 December 1945 until 13 July 1946, a total of 216 days, or 7 months and 4 days.
