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Italian presidential election, 1971

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9–24 December 1971
  
1978 →

51.4%
  
40.5%

518
  
408

Start date
  
1971

Italian presidential election, 1971

Winner
  
Giovanni Leone

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.

    • References

    Italian presidential election, 1971 Wikipedia
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