19 Facts About Arnaldo Forlani

Arnaldo Forlani, is an Italian former politician and statesman who served as the 43rd prime minister of Italy from 18 October 1980 to 28 June 1981.

Arnaldo Forlani held the office of deputy prime minister, minister of Foreign Affairs and minister of Defence.

In 1948, after the degree in law at the University of Urbino, Arnaldo Forlani began his political career, holding the position of provincial secretary of Christian Democracy for Pesaro; he was later elected in the municipal and provincial councils.

In 1959, Arnaldo Forlani became one of the most prominent member of the DC faction led by Amintore Fanfani.

In December 1968, Arnaldo Forlani was appointed Minister of Public Shares in the government led by Mariano Rumor; in August 1969 he became Minister for the Relations with the United Nations, in the Rumor's second cabinet.

In November 1969 Arnaldo Forlani was elected Secretary of the Christian Democracy with 157 votes in favor and 13 blank votes; after few days Ciriaco De Mita became his vice-secretary.

Arnaldo Forlani tried to strength the Organic Centre-left coalition with the Socialist Party, the Democratic Socialist Party and the Republican Party.

Incumbent Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, supported by secretary Arnaldo Forlani, tried to continue his centrist strategy, but his attempt only lasted a year.

In March 1976, Arnaldo Forlani run to the secretariat of the party, opposing Benigno Zaccagnini, incumbent secretary and member of the DC left-wing, who supported Moro's policy of accommodation with the Communists of Enrico Berlinguer, known as Historic Compromise.

Arnaldo Forlani was supported by Andreotti, Fanfani, Flaminio Piccoli and Antonio Bisaglia, but he lost the congressional election and Zaccagnini remained Christian Democratic secretary.

The reasons of this important nomination were firstly the necessity to recover a climate of unity in the party after the congressional divisions and secondly the opportunity, in a world still marked by the Cold War, to allocate foreign policy to a clearly anti-communist personality, as Arnaldo Forlani was, able to calm the European and American partners.

In 1980, Arnaldo Forlani was among the main sponsor of Flaminio Piccoli in the party congress.

Arnaldo Forlani was considered an unflamboyant politician who attempted to stay out of the factionalism in his party, and was seen as the man who could re-unite DC.

Arnaldo Forlani's government spent 59 trillion lire on reconstruction, while other nations sent contributions.

Arnaldo Forlani was therefore compelled to resign from the position, staying away from spotlight of politics for a certain period.

In 1982, Arnaldo Forlani tried again to become DC Secretary, but he was defeated by his former deputy secretary Ciriaco De Mita, who was now supported by Fanfani.

In 1983 the Socialist leader Bettino Craxi was appointed Prime Minister by President Sandro Pertini and Arnaldo Forlani became his Deputy Prime Minister.

In 1992 general election, the Christian Democracy, led by Arnaldo Forlani, lost many votes, but its coalition managed to keep a small majority.

However, during the 5th and 6th ballots, held on 16 May 1992, Arnaldo Forlani missed the election of 39 and 29 votes respectively.