The Legislature III of Italy () was the 3rd legislature of the Italian Republic, and lasted from 12 June 1958 until 15 May 1963. Its composition was the one resulting from the general election of 25 May 1958.
Main chronology In the 1958 general election, Amintore Fanfani, as secretary of the Christian Democrats, run as the main candidate to become the next prime minister. The electoral result was similar to the one of five years before. Christian Democracy (DC) gained 42.4% of votes, nearly doubling Palmiro Togliatti's Communist Party, which arrived second. However, the poor results of the other small centrist and secular parties kept the same problems of political instability within the centrist coalition, which characterised the previous legislature.Elezioni del 1958, Ministero dell'Interno
Christian Democracy resulted even more polarized between Fanfani's leftist faction and the opposite one which urged for a rightist policy; Fanfani relaunched his reformist agenda, advocating for a dialogue with the Italian Socialist Party (PSI), which had stopped its ties with the communists after the Hungarian Revolution.Ungheria, la rottura tra PCI e PSI However, a government between DC and PSI was too premature due to the strong opposition of DC's right-wing, so, on 1 July 1958, Fanfani sworn in as new prime minister at the head of a coalition government with the Italian Democratic Socialist Party (PSDI), and a case-by-case support of the Italian Republican Party (PRI).Governo Fanfani II, senato.it
The unprecedented concentration of power that Fanfani had achieved within this party was the main reason of his second government's decline. The outrageous conservative opposition resulted in a progressive breakdown of the internal majority faction, "Democratic Initiative".1958 – 1963, II governo Fanfani In January 1959, a conspicuous group of Christian Democrats started voting against their own government, forcing Fanfani to resign on 26 January 1959, after only six months in power.Italy's Fanfan, Time Magazine, 16 June 1961
On 16 February 1959, Antonio Segni, member of the right-wing faction of the party, sworn in as new prime minister.Governo Segni I, senato.it Segni formed a one-party government, composed only by members of the Christian Democracy, which was externally supported by minor centre-right and right-wing parties, included the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement (MSI). However, in March 1960, the Italian Liberal Party (PLI) withdrew its support to the government and Segni was forced to resign.
President Giovanni Gronchi then gave Fernando Tambroni the task of forming a new cabinet. Tambroni formed a one-party cabinet composed only by DC members, with the sole external support of the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement (MSI), a unique case in the history of the Italian Republic. On 8 April, the Chamber of Deputies gave the confidence vote to government, with the fundamental support of the MSI. However, the neo-fascist vital support created growing tensions within the DC and with some ministers who threatened their resignations, Tambroni was forced to resign. President Gronchi gave then the task of forming a new cabinet to Fanfani, to verify the possibility of starting a centre-left government. However, he was opposed by an important part of the DC, so Tambroni returned to the Senate, where he received the confidence vote on 29 April.Composizione del Governo Tambroni, Senato della Repubblica
Tambroni listed among the main focus of his government's program the institution of regions with a special statute for Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the reform of local finances, the modernization of public administration, a wide program of social and economic interventions, the reorganization of the state railways and a new foreign policy to improve bilateral relations with emerging countries like China, India and Arab countries.Chamber of Deputies, Atti Parlamentari. Discussioni, III Legislatura, 4 April 1960, page 13424 However, the most controversial decision of his cabinet, was the permission to the MSI to hold its national congress in Genoa, one of the capitals of Italian Resistance against Fascism.Il governo Tambroni, Rai Scuola This move was considered by the public opinion as a further and unacceptable opening to the neo-fascists, by the government.
On 30 June 1960, a large demonstration summoned by the left-wing CGIL trade union and by other leftist forces in the streets of Genoa was heavily suppressed by the Italian police.30 giugno 1960: il “No pasaràn!” di Genova (e quel che accadde prima e dopo), Genova 24 Other popular demonstrations in Reggio Emilia, Rome, Palermo, Catania, Licata again saw violent intervention by the police, causing several deaths. On 7 July, while news of the demonstrators killed in Reggio Emilia arrived in the Chamber, Tambroni only spoke about "unpleasant incidents", stating the government's willingness was to do "its duty to defend the state and the free institutions".Camera dei Deputati, Atti Parlamentari. Discussioni, III Legislatura, 7 July 1960, page 15700–15701 Moreover, the interior minister, Giuseppe Spataro, accused the PCI of having stirred up the riots.Camera dei Deputati, Atti Parlamentari. Discussioni, III Legislatura, 7 July 1960, page 157689
On 8 July, the political situation was so worrying that the president of the Senate, Cesare Merzagora, with an unprecedented practice and not informing the president of the Republic, proposed, finding support also in the president of the Chamber Giovanni Leone, a fifteen-day truce, with the return of the police to the barracks and the consequent stop of anti-fascist protests. This effectively delegitimized the actions of Tambroni and Spataro, and represented the beginning of the government crisis.La rivolta di Genova nelle parole di chi c'era, Alessandro Benna, Lucia Compagnino, Fratelli Frilli Editore, 30 June 1960 On 19 July, when many members of his own party, withdrew their supports to the government, Tambroni was forced to resign, after only 116 days in power.Governo Tambroni, www.governo.it
President Gronchi then decided to ask again Amintore Fanfani to forma new government. Fanfani's third government officially sworn in during July 1960 and was formed only by DC ministers. The cabinet was externally supported by PSDI, PRI and PLI.Governo Fanfani III, governo.it With Fanfani as prime minister and Aldo Moro as secretary of the party, the so-called Organic Centre-left period was ready to begin.Il centrosinistra – Storia, Rai Cultura
In February 1962, after the national congress of the Christian Democracy, Fanfani reorganised his cabinet and gained the benign abstention of the socialist leader Pietro Nenni.A Sinistra?, Time Magazine, 12 January 1962 During this term as Prime Minister Fanfani carried out a number of reforms in areas such as health, education, and social security. On 8 April 1962 the cabinet introduced broad provisions covering building areas. Local governments were obliged to provide plans of areas suitable for economic housing, while strict price controls for building areas were introduced to prevent speculation.Growth to Limits: The Western European Welfare States Since World War II Volume 4 edited by Peter Flora
On 31 December 1962, the Parliament approved a law that extended compulsory education to the age of 14 and introduced a single unified curriculum, lasting for a 3-year period after primary education. On 12 August 1962, Fanfani introduced a supplementary pension payment, equal to one-twelfth of the annual amount of pension minima, while also introducing child supplements for pensioners. Moreover, on 5 March 1963, he introduced a voluntary pension insurance scheme for housewives. On 19 January 1963, the government proposed a bill that extended the insurance against occupational diseases to artisans, while general improvements to cash benefits were carried out: all pensions were to be adjusted every third year to the minimum contractual wage in the respective industrial sector, while earnings-replacement rates were raised to correspond to contractual disability rates. In February 1963, improved health benefits for agricultural workers, with the introduction of free pharmaceutical assistance and the flat-rate sickness indemnity replaced by an earnings-related indemnity equal to 50% of minimum contractual pay (in each province) for a maximum of 180 days.
In his three years rule, thanks to the key support of the PSI, Fanfani approved the nationalization of Enel, the national electric company and the establishment of middle school, the introduction of share taxation. Only the implementation of the ordinary statute regions and the urban reform remained uncompleted, due to a strong internal opposition within the DC. Moreover, the new international balance of power marked by the presidency of John F. Kennedy, influenced Western politics in favor of reformism, as the best alternative to defeat communism.
Presidential election On 2 May 1962 the Parliament met to elect the third President of Italy. On 6 May 1962 the Christian democrat Antonio Segni was elected on the ninth ballot with 443 votes out of 854.
Government Prime MinisterParty Term of office GovernmentComposition Took office Left office Amintore Fanfani Christian Democracy 1 July 1958 16 February 1959Fanfani IIDC PSDI Antonio Segni Christian Democracy 16 February 1959 25 March 1960Segni IIDC Fernando Tambroni Christian Democracy 25 March 1960 26 July 1960TambroniDCAmintore FanfaniChristian Democracy 26 July 1960 21 February 1962Fanfani IIIDC 21 February 1962 21 June 1963Fanfani IVDC PSDI PRI
Fanfani II Cabinet 10–19 July 1958Investiture votes for Fanfani II CabinetHouse of ParliamentVotePartiesVotesSenate of the Republic Yes DC, PSDI No PCI, PSI, PNM, PMP, PLI, MSI Abstention SVP Chamber of Deputies Yes DC, PSDI No PCI, PSI, PLI, MSI, PRI, PNM, PMP, PLI
Segni II Cabinet 24 February–6 March 1959Investiture votes for Segni II CabinetHouse of ParliamentVotePartiesVotesChamber of Deputies Yes DC, MSI, PNM, PLI, PMP No PCI, PSI, PRI, PSDI Senate of the Republic Yes DC, MSI, PNM, PLI, PMP No PCI, PSI, PSDI, SVP
Tambroni Cabinet 4–29 April 1960Investiture votes for Tambroni CabinetHouse of ParliamentVotePartiesVotesChamber of Deputies Yes DC, MSI No PCI, PSI, PNM, PDI PLI, PRI, PSDI Senate of the Republic Yes DC, MSI No PCI, PSI, PNM, PDI, PLI, PSDI, SVP
Fafani III Cabinet 2–5 August 1960Investiture votes for Fanfani III CabinetHouse of ParliamentVotePartiesVotesSenate of the Republic Yes DC, PLI, PSDI, SVP No PCI, MSI Abstention PSI, PNM, PDI Chamber of Deputies Yes DC, PLI, PRI, PSDI No PCI, MSI
Fanfani IV Cabinet 2–15 March 1962Investiture votes for Fanfani IV CabinetHouse of ParliamentVotePartiesVotesChamber of Deputies Yes DC, PLI, PSDI, PRI No PCI, MSI Senate of the Republic Yes DC, PLI, PSDI No PCI, MSI
Parliamentary composition Chamber of Deputies
President: Giovanni Leone (DC), elected on 12 June 1958 Vice Presidents: Brunetto Bucciarelli-Ducci (DC), Paolo Rossi (PSDI), Girolamo Li Causi (PCI), Ferdinando Targetti (PSI)
+Initial composition(12 June 1958)Final composition(15 May 1963)Parliamentary groupSeatsParliamentary groupSeatsChange Christian Democracy 273 Christian Democracy 275 2 Italian Communist Party 143 Italian Communist Party 140 3 Italian Socialist Party 84 Italian Socialist Party 86 2 Italian Social Movement 24 Italian Social Movement 25 1 Italian Democratic Socialist Party 22 Italian Democratic Socialist Party 19 3 Italian Liberal Party 17 Italian Liberal Party 23 6 People's Monarchist Party 14 Italian Democratic Party 10 4 Monarchist National Party 11 Monarchist National Party 10 1 Mixed 11 Mixed 11 Italian Republican Party 6 Italian Republican Party 6 Südtiroler Volkspartei3 Südtiroler Volkspartei3 Community Movement1 Community Movement1 Union Valdôtaine1 Union Valdôtaine1 Total seats 596Total seats 596
Senate of the Republic