Antonio Bassolino

Infobox Prime Minister
name = Antonio Bassolino


order = President of Campania
term_start = 2000
term_end =
deputy =
predecessor = Andrea Losco
successor =
order2 = Minister of Work and Social Security
primeminister2 = Massimo D'Alema
term_start2 = October 21, 1998
term_end2 = June 6, 1999
predecessor2 = Tiziano Treu
successor2 = Cesare Salvi
birth_date = Birth date and age|1947|3|20|df=y
birth_place = Afragola, Italy
nationality = Italian
alma_mater =
profession =
children =
spouse =
residence = Naples, Italy
party = Partito Democratico

Antonio Bassolino, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI [ [http://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/DettaglioDecorato.asp?idprogressivo=97921&iddecorato=97425 quirinale.it] ] (born March 20, 1947) is an Italian politician. He is currently President of the Campania region.

Biography

Bassolino was born in Afragola, Campania. At 17 he entered the Federation of Young Italian Communists, and in 1970 became member of the regional council for the Italian Communist Party (PCI), and, the following year, secretary of the party section in Avellino. He held the latter position until 1975, when he became regional secretary for the PCI; from 1972, he was member of the party's national committee. In 1987, he was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies in the college of Catanzaro, becoming president of the Parliament media committee in 1990.

In the process leading to the split-up of the PCI into the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS) and the Party of the Communist Refoundation (PRC), Bassolino represented the moderate wing that sought mediation. Eventually, he joined the PDS.

In 1992, he was reelected to the Chamber, and, in 1993, he was sent to Naples to reform the local section of PDS — which had been involved in the "Tangentopoli" bribe scandal. It was there that he gained fame as a "hardman," a reputation which surfaced during the subsequent election for mayor, which he won by defeating the right-wing candidate, Alessandra Mussolini.

Bassolino's years as mayor of Naples are generally viewed as a period of civil, economical and social renaissance for the city. In 1997 he was reelected, this time with the 72.9% of the votes. In October 1998, Premier Massimo D'Alema nominated him Minister of Welfare; however, after the assassination of his advisor Massimo D'Antona in October 1999, Bassolino resigned in order to focus his activities on Naples.

In 2000, he ran for the presidency of Campania, which raised some controversies. He was elected with 54.3% of the votes, and, in the elections of April 2005, with 61.6%. Among his accomplishments as governor of Campania are the construction of a regional metropolitan rail service and the new TAV station for high-speed trains in his native Afragola. However, it has been argued that, under his administration, the regional debt was doubled.

Bassolino received the "Gold Star" Prize for his commitment to developing tourism and cultural ventures in Naples during his years as mayor. His essays include "Mezzogiorno alla prova" (1980) and "La repubblica delle città" (1996).

He is married to Anna Maria Carloni and was elected to the Senate in the XV legislature.

External links

* [http://www.antoniobassolino.it Personal website] it icon
* [http://www.presidente.campania.it President of Region Campania] it icon

References