Alcide De Gasperi: Democracy beyond borders

Alcide De Gasperi was born at the end of the 19th century, and grew up in a region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire mainly populated by Italians. From his youth, he was committed to politics and journalism. He was a clear opponent of fascism, and faced strong political persecution from Mussolini’s regime. After some time in prison, he found refuge in the Vatican, where he worked for 14 years.

After the Second World War, he involved himself heavily in the construction of the Italian Republic, through the Christian Democratic Party. He was President of the Council (prime minister) between 1945 and 1953. He developed a consensual method of government, trying to involve as much as possible the various Italian political parties.

In the field of foreign policies, one of his main contributions was to advocate tirelessly for the return of Germany to the concert of nations, in the face of the growing threat posed by the Soviet Union. For this reason, he also became a passionate advocate of the European Defence Community. Therefore, in the light of his commitment, it is no surprise that the 1957 Treaties creating the European Economic Community and Euratom were signed in Rome.