Italian presidential election, 1971

Italian presidential election, 1971

9 - 24 December 1971

1008 voters: 315 Senators, 5 Senators for life, 630 Deputies and 58 regional representatives 673 or 505 votes needed to win   Nominee Giovanni Leone Pietro Nenni Party Christian Democracy Socialist Party Electoral vote 518 408 Percentage 51.4% 40.5%

President before election Giuseppe Saragat Democratic Socialist Party Elected President Giovanni Leone Christian Democracy

The Italian presidential election of 1971 was held in Italy on 9 – 24 December 1971. Only members of Parliament and regional delegates are entitled to vote. As head of state of the Italian Republic, the President has a role of representation of national unity and guarantees that Italian politics comply with the Italian Constitution, in the framework of a parliamentary system.

Former Prime Minister and President of the Chamber of Deputies Giovanni Leone was elected President with 518 votes out of 1,008, the smallest majority ever obtained. With twenty-three rounds of voting, this presidential election was the longest of Italian republican history.

Candidates

• Francesco De Martino, former secretary of Italian Socialist Party, was the first candidate of the left-wing opposition.
• Amintore Fanfani, one of the most important leaders of DC, was initially proposed by the government.
• Giovanni Leone, the elected President, was candidated only since the twenty-second round of voting.
• Pietro Nenni, former partisan and leader of PSI, was proposed by left-wing parties at penultimate round of voting, too.

Ballots

First ballot (9 December)

Twenty-third ballot (24 December)

Parliamentary elections of the Italian Presidents 1946 1947 1948 1955 1962 1964 1971 1978 1985 1992 1999 2006 2013 2015