The Letta government was the 62nd government of the Italian Republic. In office from 28 April 2013 to 22 January 2014, it comprised ministers of the Democratic Party (PD), The People of Freedom (PdL), Civic Choice (SC), the Union of the Centre (UdC), one of the Italian Radicals (RI), and three non-party independents. Led by the PD deputy-secretary Enrico Letta as Prime Minister of Italy, the government was referred to by journalists as a "grand coalition" (), or "government of broad agreements" ().
At formation, the Letta government benefited from a supermajority in the Italian Parliament, one of the largest in the history of the Italian Republic. It was the youngest government to date, with a median age of 53. It was sworn in on 28 April 2013 and won the confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies on 29 April, and then the Senate of Republic on 30 April.
History Formation The 2013 Italian general election, held on 24–25 February, saw the rise of the Five Star Movement (M5S) and the lack of a common majority in both houses of Parliament. More specifically, the centre-left coalition (known as Italy. Common Good) was ahead of the centre-right coalition but controlled a majority only in the Chamber of Deputies, meaning there was a hung parliament. The election was followed by weeks of deadlock, including various failed attempts either to elect a new President of Italy to succeed Giorgio Napolitano and form a government, the establishment of a panel of experts by the President himself (the "wise men") in order to outline priorities and formulate an agenda to deal with the persistent economic hardship and growing unemployment, and ultimately the resignation of Pier Luigi Bersani as secretary of the PD.
On 22 April 2013, Napolitano, after being re-elected for an unprecedented second term, immediately started consultations. Two days later, the President gave Letta the task of forming a government, having determined that Bersani could not. Letta succeeded Mario Monti, who had resigned on 21 December 2012 but whose government remained in charge for ordinary administration until 28 April 2013, the day the new government was sworn in. During the ceremony, a man fired shots outside Palazzo Chigi and wounded two Carabinieri. The cabinet was composed mainly by four parties: the PD, the PdL, SC, and the UdC. The fact that the new Prime Minister was a nephew of Gianni Letta, one of the most trusted advisors to Silvio Berlusconi, the leader of the PdL, was perceived as a way of overcoming the bitter hostility between the two opposing camps.
Fall of government On 28 September, Berlusconi asked his party's five ministers to resign from the government over a tax hike.Berlusconi fa dimettere i ministri Letta: gesto folle per motivi personali Corriere della Sera On 15 November 2013, Berlusconi, who would be soon stripped of his seat in the Senate with PD's votes due to his conviction for tax fraud, announced the re-foundation of Forza Italia (FI), in opposition to the government, and the PdL split. In fact, all five PdL ministers, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Angelino Alfano, joined the New Centre-Right (NCD) party. The same week, SC also suffered a split, with its minister Mario Mauro leaving the party, founding the Populars for Italy (PpI) and nevertheless keeping his post. The Letta government lasted until 22 February 2014 (for a total of 300 days). The government fell apart after the PD retired its support. Since December 2013, the party had been led by Matteo Renzi, the 39-year-old mayor of Florence nicknamed "the scrapper". Renzi succeeded Letta and formed the Renzi government.
Investiture votes
29–30 April 2013Investiture votes for the Letta Cabinet House of Parliament Vote Parties VotesChamber of Deputies YesPD (291), FI (97), CeI (45), LN (2), Others (18) NoM5S (109), SEL (35), FdI (8), LN (1), Others (2) AbstentionLN (17) Senate of the Republic YesPD (106), FI (89), CeI (21), Aut (9), GAL–UDC (8) NoM5S (53), Others (6) AbstentionLN (16), GAL–UDC (2)
Party breakdown Beginning of term Ministers Democratic Party 10 The People of Freedom 5 Independents 3 Civic Choice 2 Union of the Centre 1 Italian Radicals 1
Ministers and other members Democratic Party (PD): Prime minister, 9 ministers, 5 deputy ministers, 12 undersecretaries The People of Freedom (PdL): 5 ministers, 2 deputy ministers, 10 undersecretaries Independents: 3 ministers, 2 deputy ministers, 5 undersecretaries Civic Choice (SC): 2 ministers, 1 deputy minister, 2 undersecretaries Union of the Centre (UdC): 1 minister, 1 undersecretary Italian Radicals (RI): 1 minister Great South (GS): 1 undersecretary Moderates in Revolution (MiR): 1 undersecretary
End of term Ministers Democratic Party 9 New Centre-Right 4 Independents 3 Civic Choice 1 Union of the Centre 1 Populars for Italy 1 Italian Radicals 1
Ministers and other members Democratic Party (PD): Prime minister, 8 ministers, 4 deputy ministers, 12 undersecretaries New Centre-Right (NCD): 4 ministers, 1 deputy minister, 7 undersecretaries Independents: 3 ministers, 2 deputy ministers, 5 undersecretaries Civic Choice (SC): 1 minister, 1 deputy minister, 1 undersecretary Populars for Italy (PpI): 1 minister, 1 undersecretary Union of the Centre (UdC): 1 minister, 1 undersecretary Italian Radicals (RI): 1 minister
Council of Ministers
Cabinet NameParty Term Prime Minister Enrico Letta PD Deputy Prime Minister Angelino Alfano PdL / NCD Minister of Foreign Affairs Emma Bonino RI Minister of the Interior Angelino Alfano PdL / NCD Minister of Justice Anna Maria Cancellieri Independent Minister of Defence Mario Mauro SC / PpI Minister of Economy and Finance Fabrizio Saccomanni Independent Minister of Economic Development Flavio Zanonato PD Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Maurizio Lupi PdL / NCD Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies Nunzia De Girolamo PdL / NCD Enrico Letta (ad interim) PD Minister of the Environment Andrea Orlando PD Minister of Labour and Social Policies Enrico Giovannini Independent Minister of Education, University and Research Maria Chiara Carrozza PD Minister of Culture and Tourism Massimo Bray PD Minister of Health Beatrice Lorenzin PdL / NCD Minister of European Affairs Enzo Moavero Milanesi SC Minister of Regional Affairs Graziano Delrio PD Minister of Territorial Cohesion Carlo Trigilia PD Minister for Parliamentary Relations Dario Franceschini PD Minister for Integration Cécile Kyenge PD Minister of Equal Opportunities, Sport and Youth Policies Josefa Idem PD Minister of Public Administration Gianpiero D'Alia UDC Minister for Constitutional Reforms Gaetano Quagliariello PdL / NCD Secretary of the Council of Ministers Filippo Patroni Griffi Independent
Composition OfficePortrait Name Term of office PartyPrime MinisterEnrico Letta28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyDeputy Prime MinisterAngelino Alfano28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014The People of FreedomNew Centre-RightMinister of Foreign AffairsEmma Bonino28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Italian RadicalsMinister of the InteriorAngelino Alfano28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014The People of FreedomNew Centre-RightMinister of JusticeAnna Maria Cancellieri28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014IndependentMinister of DefenceMario Mauro28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Civic ChoicePopulars for ItalyMinister of Economy and FinanceFabrizio Saccomanni28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014IndependentMinister of Economic DevelopmentFlavio Zanonato28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyMinister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry PoliciesNunzia De Girolamo28 April 2013 – 27 January 2014The People of FreedomNew Centre-RightEnrico Letta27 January 2014 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyMinister of the EnvironmentAndrea Orlando28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyMinister of Infrastructure and TransportMaurizio Lupi28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014The People of FreedomNew Centre-RightMinister of Labour and Social PoliciesEnrico Giovannini28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014IndependentMinister of Education, University and ResearchMaria Chiara Carrozza28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyMinister of Cultural Heritage and Activities and TourismMassimo Bray28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyMinister of HealthBeatrice Lorenzin28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014The People of FreedomNew Centre-RightMinister for Parliamentary Relations and Coordination of Governmental ActivityDario Franceschini28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyMinister of Public AdministrationGianpiero D'Alia28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Union of the CentreMinister of Regional Affairs and AutonomiesGraziano Delrio28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyMinister of European AffairsEnzo Moavero Milanesi28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Civic ChoiceMinister of Regional Affairs and Territorial CohesionCarlo Trigilia28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyMinister for Equal Opportunities, Sport and Youth PoliciesJosefa Idem28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyMinister for IntegrationCécile Kyenge28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Democratic PartyMinister for Constitutional ReformsGaetano Quagliariello28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014The People of FreedomNew Centre-RightSecretary of the Council of MinistersFilippo Patroni Griffi28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014Independent
See also National unity government Technocratic government (Italy)
References
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