| Onorevole Dario Franceschini |
|
|---|---|
| Chairman of the Democratic Party of Italy | |
| In office February 21, 2009 – October 25, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Walter Veltroni |
| Succeeded by | Pier Luigi Bersani |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 19, 1958 Ferrara, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Silvia Bombardi |
| Children | Caterina, Maria Elena |
| Residence | Rome, Italy |
| Alma mater | University of Ferrara |
| Profession | Lawyer Writer |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Dario Franceschini (born October 19, 1958 in Ferrara)[1] is an Italian lawyer, writer, and politician, who served as the second leader of the Democratic Party.[2][3] He has been a prominent member of the Italian People's Party (PPI), of the Daisy and the first Deputy Secretary of the Democratic Party.[1] Following the resignation of Walter Veltroni, on February 21, 2009 the Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Party elected him the new Secretary.[2][3] On 25 October 2009 he lost the leadership election to Pier Luigi Bersani, and subsequently accepted his offer to become the party's Leader in the Chamber of Deputies.[4]
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Franceschini started his political career as a student in the Liceo scientifico "Antonio Roiti" and in the University of Ferrara.[1] He joined the Christian Democracy shortly after the nomination of Benigno Zaccagnini as National Secretary, and after two years he was elected provincial delegate of the Young Christian Democrats.[1] He was elected city councillor in Ferrara in 1980, 1985 and 1990.[1] In 1985 he graduated from the University of Ferrara and started practicing civil law.[1]
At the 1993 Constituent Assembly of the Christian Democracy (which would soon turn into the Italian People's Party), Franceschini voted for an alliance with the left.[1] When the next year the PPI entered the general election in a centrist coalition, the Pact for Italy, he left the party.[1] He subsequently founded the Christian Socials movement, and in 1995 he ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Ferrara, winning about 20% of the votes.[1]
Following the birth of the Olive Tree coalition, Franceschini re-entered the Italian People's Party, and from 1997 to 1999 he was its Deputy Secretary and Coordinator.[1] He was appointed Undersecretary for Institutional Reforms in the D'Alema II Cabinet, and he maintained this position in the Amato II Cabinet.[1][5] In the 2001 general election he was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies in Ferrara College 9, and he became a member of the Constitutional Affairs Commission of the Chamber.[6]
In 2001, Franceschini was a founding member of the Daisy and in 2002 he was named Executive Coordinator of the party.[1] In the 2006 general election he was re-elected Deputy for the XI constituency of Emilia-Romagna and he was appointed Leader of the Olive Tree group in the Chamber.[7] When the Daisy was merged with the Democrats of the Left to form the new Democratic Party on October 14, 2007, Secretary Walter Veltroni chose him as his Deputy.[3]
In the 2008 general election, Franceschini was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the third time.[8] After a series of electoral defeats for the Democratic Party, Secretary Walter Veltroni resigned in February 2009.[2][3] The Constituent Assembly of the party convened on February 21, 2009 to choose a new leader and appointed Franceschini Secretary with 1,047 votes out of 1,258. His only opponent Arturo Parisi won just 92 votes.[2][3]
Franceschini is married with two daughters. He has written two novels which were published in 2006 and 2007.[5]
| Italian Chamber of Deputies | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Alfredo Zagatti |
Deputy for Ferrara College 9 2001–2006 |
College abolished |
| Preceded by Title jointly held |
Deputy for Emilia-Romagna 2006–present |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by ? |
Italian Undersecretary for Institutional Reforms 1999–2001 |
Succeeded by Aldo Brancher, Gian Paolo Gobbo |
| Party political offices | ||
| New title | Deputy Secretary and Coordinator of the Italian People's Party 1997–1999 |
Succeeded by Enrico Letta (as Deputy Secretary) Lapo Pistelli (as Coordinator) |
| New title | Executive Coordinator of the Daisy 2001–2006 |
Succeeded by Antonello Soro |
| Preceded by Pierluigi Castagnetti |
Olive Tree Leader in the Chamber of Deputies 2006–2007 |
Party dissolved |
| New title | Deputy Secretary of the Democratic Party 2007–2009 |
Enrico Letta |
| Preceded by Walter Veltroni |
Secretary of the Democratic Party 2009 |
Succeeded by Pier Luigi Bersani |
| Preceded by Antonello Soro |
Democratic Party Leader in the Chamber of Deputies 2009–present |
Incumbent |
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