Italian presidential election, 1948

Italian presidential election, 1948

10–11 May 1948
900 voters 600 or 451 votes needed to win
Nominee Luigi Einaudi Vittorio Emanuele Orlando Party Liberal Party Liberal Party Electoral vote 518 320 Percentage 59.4% 35.6%
President before election Enrico De Nicola Liberal Party Elected President Luigi Einaudi Liberal Party

The Italian presidential election of 1948 was held in Italy on 10 – 11 May 1948, following the resignation of outgoing President Enrico De Nicola. Only members of Parliament are entitled to vote and this election was the first one voted by a regular Parliament. 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.

At fourth round of voting, former Governor of Banca d'Italia and incumbent Minister of the Budget Luigi Einaudi was elected President with 518 votes out of 900.

Candidates

• Enrico De Nicola, outgoing President of the Republic and former Provisional Head of State, was initially proposed to do a third mandate.
• Carlo Sforza, incumbent Minister of Foreign Affairs and one of the Italian Republican Party leaders, was the first candidate of governing Christian Democracy.
• Luigi Einaudi, the elected President, was candidate when Alcide De Gasperi understood that Sforza's candidacy was failed.
• Vittorio Emanuele Orlando, Prime Minister of Italy and President of the Chamber of Deputies before Fascism, wasn't voted till the last round of voting.

Ballots