The Grand Council of Fascism (, also translated "Fascist Grand Council") was the main body of Mussolini's government in the Kingdom of Italy, which held and applied great power to control the institutions of government. It was created as a body of the National Fascist Party in 1922, and became a state body on 9 December 1928. The council usually met at the Palazzo Venezia, Rome, which was also the seat of the head of the Italian government. The Council became extinct following a series of events in 1943, in which Benito Mussolini was voted out as the Prime Minister of Italy.

Powers of the Council

Essentially, the council held these powers: The power to elect the Fascist Party deputies, the nomination for the Party Secretary and other party leaders, the approval of the party statutes and the power regarding the party's policy. The power to elect the Crown's line of succession including the choice of the heir to the throne, the right of the Crown, the power to choose possible successors to the Prime Minister, the power to choose the function and membership of the Grand Council, the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies (later the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations), the power to decide the rights and powers of the Prime Minister, international Treaties, and foreign affairs.

The Grand Council meetings were convened by the Prime Minister himself, and all decrees and laws could only be legalized after receiving his approval. In contrast to the Führerprinzip government model in Nazi Germany, the Grand Council retained the power to recommend that the King of Italy remove the Prime Minister from office. As all the former governing institutions had been subordinated to the Fascist Party, the Council was the only check on Mussolini's power.

Overthrow of Mussolini

The Allies invaded Sicily in July 1943. Grand Council member Dino Grandi proposed a vote of no confidence in Mussolini as leader of the Council and the party. A vote was held on the night of 24–25 July 1943 and passed with 19 votes for, 8 against and one abstention. Among the 19 votes of no confidence were those of Mussolini's son-in-law Galeazzo Ciano, who had been former minister of foreign affairs, and the influential marshal Emilio De Bono.

The following day King Victor Emmanuel met Mussolini and informed him that General Pietro Badoglio would lead Italy, as Prime Minister. Mussolini was arrested immediately after the meeting.

In September 1943 Mussolini was freed from imprisonment by German commandos and helped to regain power in northern Italy. He had those who voted against him tried for treason at the Verona trial. All of them were found guilty, with all but one of them being sentenced to death. However, only Giovanni Marinelli, Carlo Pareschi, Luciano Gottardi, Ciano, De Bono, and Tullio Cianetti, were physically present for the trial. With the exception of Cianetti, those present were all executed by firing squad on the morning of 11 January 1944.

Members of the Council The composition of the Council was revised and defined by a law of 14 December 1929 and became a state body from 9 December 1928. Its members, selected among the party's gerarchi, are below. Their vote on the 25 July 1943 motion to depose Mussolini is also given next to their name. President of the Council +Head of Government and Duce of Fascism Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Benito Mussolini 31 October 1922 25 July 1943 Deposed

Quadrumvirs +The Quadrumvirs Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Italo Balbo27 October 1922 28 June 1940 Died in office Michele Bianchi 3 February 1930 Died in office Emilio De Bono 25 July 1943 Yes Cesare Maria De Vecchi 25 July 1943 Yes

Parliament

+President of the Senate Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Tommaso Tittoni 1 December 1919 21 January 1929 — Luigi Federzoni 29 April 1929 2 March 1939 Voted Giacomo Suardo 15 March 1939 25 July 1943 Abstention

+President of the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Alfredo Rocco 24 May 1924 5 January 1925 — Antonio Casertano 13 January 1925 25 January 1929 — Giovanni Giuriati 20 April 1929 19 January 1934 — Costanzo Ciano 28 April 1934 26 June 1939 Died in office Dino Grandi 30 November 1939 25 July 1943 Yes

Positions in the Cabinet +Minister of Agriculture and Forests Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Giacomo Acerbo 12 September 1929 24 January 1935 Voted Edmondo Rossoni 24 January 1935 31 October 1939 Voted Giuseppe Tassinari 31 October 1939 26 December 1941 — Carlo Pareschi 26 December 1941 25 July 1943 Yes

+Minister of Corporations Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Duce 2 July 1926 12 September 1929 — UndersecretaryGiacomo Suardo 2 July 1926 6 November 1926 Voted UndersecretaryGiuseppe Bottai 6 November 1926 12 September 1929 Voted Giuseppe Bottai 12 September 1929 20 July 1932 Voted Duce 20 July 1932 11 June 1936 — Undersecretary 20 July 1932 24 January 1935 — Undersecretary 20 July 1932 24 January 1935 — UndersecretaryFerruccio Lantini 24 January 1935 11 June 1936 Note Ferruccio Lantini 11 June 1936 31 October 1939 Note Renato Ricci 31 October 1939 6 February 1943 Note Carlo Tiengo 6 February 1943 19 April 1943 — Tullio Cianetti 19 April 1943 25 July 1943 Yes

+Minister of Finance Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Alberto de' Stefani 31 October 1922 10 July 1925 Voted Giuseppe Volpi 10 July 1925 9 July 1928 — Antonio Mosconi 9 July 1928 20 July 1932 Note Guido Jung 20 July 1932 17 January 1935 — Paolo Thaon di Revel 17 January 1935 6 February 1943 Note Giacomo Acerbo 6 February 1943 25 July 1943 Yes

+Minister of Foreign Affairs Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Duce 31 October 1922 12 September 1929 — Undersecretary 31 October 1922 27 April 1923 — UndersecretaryDino Grandi 12 September 1929 20 July 1932 Voted Dino Grandi 12 September 1929 20 July 1932 Voted Duce 20 July 1932 9 June 1936 — Undersecretary 20 July 1932 9 June 1936 Note Galeazzo Ciano 9 June 1936 6 February 1943 Voted Duce 6 February 1943 25 July 1943 — UndersecretaryGiuseppe Bastianini 6 February 1943 25 July 1943 Yes

+Minister of the Interior Portrait Name(Born–Died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Duce 31 October 1922 17 June 1924 — UndersecretaryAldo Finzi 31 October 1922 17 June 1924 — Luigi Federzoni 17 June 1924 6 November 1926 Voted Duce 6 November 1926 25 July 1943 — UndersecretaryGiacomo Suardo 6 November 1926 13 March 1928 Voted UndersecretaryMichele Bianchi 13 March 1928 12 September 1929 — UndersecretaryLeandro Arpinati 12 September 1929 8 May 1933 Note UndersecretaryGuido Buffarini Guidi 8 May 1933 6 February 1943 Voted UndersecretaryUmberto Albini 6 February 1943 25 July 1943 Yes

+Minister of Grace and Justice Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Aldo Oviglio 31 October 1922 5 January 1925 — Alfredo Rocco 5 January 1925 20 July 1932 — Pietro De Francisci 20 July 1932 24 January 1935 — Arrigo Solmi 24 January 1935 12 July 1939 Note Dino Grandi 12 July 1939 5 February 1943 Voted Alfredo De Marsico 5 February 1943 25 July 1943 Yes

+Minister of Popular Culture Portrait Name(Born–Died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Galeazzo Ciano 23 June 1935 11 June 1936 Voted Dino Alfieri 11 June 1936 31 October 1939 Voted Alessandro Pavolini 31 October 1939 6 February 1943 Note Gaetano Polverelli 6 February 1943 25 July 1943 No

+Minister of National Education Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Balbino Giuliano 12 September 1929 20 July 1932 — Francesco Ercole 20 July 1932 24 January 1935 — Cesare Maria De Vecchi 24 January 1935 15 November 1936 Voted Giuseppe Bottai 15 November 1936 5 February 1943 Voted Carlo Alberto Biggini 5 February 1943 25 July 1943 No

Royal Academy of Italy +President of the Royal Academy Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Tommaso Tittoni 14 December 1929 16 September 1930 — Guglielmo Marconi 19 September 1930 20 July 1937 Died in office Gabriele D'Annunzio 12 November 1937 1 March 1938 Died in office Luigi Federzoni 21 April 1938 25 July 1943 Yes

Special Court for the Defence of the State +President of the Special Court for the Defence of the State Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office 27 July 1928 28 November 1932 Note Antonino Tringali Casanuova 28 November 1932 25 July 1943 No

Secretary of the Party

+Secretary of the Party Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Michele Bianchi 10 November 1921 13 October 1923 — Francesco Giunta 13 October 1923 23 April 1924 — Quadrumvirate 23 April 1924 15 February 1925 — Roberto Farinacci 15 February 1925 30 March 1926 — Augusto Turati 30 March 1926 7 October 1930 — Giovanni Giuriati 7 October 1930 12 December 1931 — Achille Starace 12 December 1931 31 October 1939 — Ettore Muti 31 October 1939 30 October 1940 — Adelchi Serena 30 October 1940 26 December 1941 — Aldo Vidussoni 26 December 1941 19 April 1943 — Carlo Scorza 19 April 1943 27 July 1943 No

Other posts The Presidents of the Corporations: Industrialists, Farmers, Industrial Workers, Agriculture Workers.

Chief of Staff of the MVSN +Chief of Staff of the MVSN Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office 1 February 1923 1 December 1924 — 1 December 1924 23 December 1928 — Attilio Teruzzi 2 January 1929 3 October 1935 — Luigi Russo 3 October 1935 3 November 1939 — Achille Starace 3 November 1939 16 May 1941 — Enzo Galbiati 25 May 1941 26 July 1943 No

Officeholders who held appointments of a three-year duration +President of the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Giovanni Giuriati 20 April 1929 19 January 1934 —

+Minister of Agriculture and Forests Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Edmondo Rossoni 24 January 1935 31 October 1939 Yes

+Minister of Corporations Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Ferruccio Lantini 11 June 1936 31 October 1939 Resigned from Council Renato Ricci 31 October 1939 6 February 1943 —

+Minister of Finance Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Alberto de' Stefani 31 October 1922 10 July 1925 Voted Antonio Mosconi 9 July 1928 20 July 1932 — Paolo Thaon di Revel 17 January 1935 6 February 1943 —

+Minister of Foreign Affairs Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Undersecretary 20 July 1932 9 June 1936 — Galeazzo Ciano 9 June 1936 6 February 1943 Yes

+Minister of the Interior Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office UndersecretaryLeandro Arpinati 12 September 1929 8 May 1933 — UndersecretaryGuido Buffarini Guidi 8 May 1933 6 February 1943 No

+Minister of Grace and Justice Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Arrigo Solmi 24 January 1935 12 July 1939 —

+Minister of Popular Culture Portrait Name(born–died) Term of office25 July 1943 MotionTook officeLeft officeTime in office Dino Alfieri 11 June 1936 31 October 1939 Yes Alessandro Pavolini 31 October 1939 6 February 1943 —