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.

Letta government

62nd Cabinet of Italy
Date formed28 April 2013 (2013-04-28)
Date dissolved22 February 2014 (2014-02-22) (301 days)
People and organisations
Head of stateGiorgio Napolitano
Head of governmentEnrico Letta
No. of ministers22 (incl. Prime Minister)
Member partiesUntil November 2013:
PD, PdL, SC, UdC, RI
After November 2013:
PD, NCD, SC, PpI, UdC, RI
Status in legislatureUntil November 2013:
Supermajority (Grand coalition)
Chamber of Deputies:
457 / 630 (73%)
Senate:
242 / 320 (76%)

After November 2013:
Majority (coalition)
Chamber of Deputies:
388 / 630 (62%)
Senate:
173 / 320 (54%)
Opposition partiesM5S, LN, SEL, FdI, FI (after Nov. 2013)
History
Election2013 election
Legislature termXVII Legislature (2013–2018)
PredecessorMonti government
SuccessorRenzi government

The government was referred to by journalists as a Grand coalition (Italian: Grande coalizione)[1] or Government of broad agreements (Italian: Governo di larghe intese).[2] At formation, the 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.[3] It was sworn in on 28 April 2013 and won the confidence vote in both the Chamber of Deputies on 29 April[4] and the Senate on 30 April.[5][6]

Formation and end

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Letta's government during the oath.

The 2013 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 (Italy. Common Good) was ahead of the centre-right coalition, but controlled a majority only in the Chamber of Deputies. The election was followed by weeks of deadlock, including various failed attempts either to elect a President to succeed Giorgio Napolitano and form a government, the establishment of a panel of experts by the President himself (the so-called "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 from secretary of the Democratic Party (PD).

On 22 April 2013 Napolitano, after being re-elected for an unprecedented second term, immediately started consultations. Two days later, the President gave Enrico Letta, deputy-secretary of the PD, the task of forming a government, having determined that Bersani could not.[7][8] 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.[9] The cabinet was composed mainly by four parties: the PD, The People of Freedom (PdL), Civic Choice (SC) and the Union of the Centre (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.[10]

However, on 28 September, Berlusconi asked his party's five ministers to resign from the government over a tax hike.[11] 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,[12] announced the re-foundation of Forza Italia (FI), in opposition to the government, and the PdL split.[13] 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.[14] The same week, also SC suffered a split, with its minister Mario Mauro leaving the party, founding the Populars for Italy (PpI) and, nevertheless, keeping his post.[15]

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

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29–30 April 2013
Investiture votes for the Letta Cabinet
House of Parliament Vote Parties Votes
Chamber of Deputies[16]
(Voting: 623[a] of 629,
Majority: 304)
 Y Yes PD (291), FI (97), CeI (45), LN (2), Others (18)
453 / 623
 N No M5S (109), SEL (35), FdI (8), LN (1), Others (2)
153 / 623
Abstention LN (17)
17 / 623
Senate of the Republic[17]
(Voting: 310[b] of 319,
Majority: 156)
 Y Yes PD (106), FI (89), CeI (21), Aut (9), GALUDC (8)
233 / 310
 N No M5S (53), Others (6)
59 / 310
Abstention LN (16), GALUDC (2)
18 / 310
  1. ^ Absent (6): CeI (2), PD (2), FdI (1), SI–SEL–P (1)
  2. ^ Absent (4): FI (1), M5S (1), PD (1), Others (1)
    On institutional leave (4): FI (1), PD (1), Aut (1), Others (1)
    President (1)

Party breakdown

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Beginning of term

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Ministers

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10
5
3
2
1
1

Ministers and other members

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End of term

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Ministers

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9
4
3
1
1
1
1

Ministers and other members

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Council of Ministers

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Cabinet Name Party Term
Prime Minister Enrico Letta PD 2013–2014
Deputy Prime Minister Angelino Alfano PdL / NCD 2013–2014
Minister of Foreign Affairs Emma Bonino RI 2013–2014
Minister of the Interior Angelino Alfano PdL / NCD 2013–2014
Minister of Justice Anna Maria Cancellieri Independent 2013–2014
Minister of Defence Mario Mauro SC / PpI 2013–2014
Minister of Economy and Finance Fabrizio Saccomanni Independent 2013–2014
Minister of Economic Development Flavio Zanonato PD 2013–2014
Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Maurizio Lupi PdL / NCD 2013–2014
Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies Nunzia De Girolamo PdL / NCD 2013–2014
Enrico Letta (ad interim) PD 2014
Minister of the Environment Andrea Orlando PD 2013–2014
Minister of Labour and Social Policies Enrico Giovannini Independent 2013–2014
Minister of Education, University and Research Maria Chiara Carrozza PD 2013–2014
Minister of Culture and Tourism Massimo Bray PD 2013–2014
Minister of Health Beatrice Lorenzin PdL / NCD 2013–2014
Minister of European Affairs Enzo Moavero Milanesi SC 2013–2014
Minister of Regional Affairs Graziano Delrio PD 2013–2014
Minister of Territorial Cohesion Carlo Trigilia PD 2013–2014
Minister for Parliamentary Relations Dario Franceschini PD 2013–2014
Minister for Integration Cécile Kyenge PD 2013–2014
Minister of Equal Opportunities, Sport and Youth Policies Josefa Idem PD 2013
Minister of Public Administration Gianpiero D'Alia UDC 2013–2014
Minister for Constitutional Reforms Gaetano Quagliariello PdL / NCD 2013–2014
Secretary of the Council of Ministers Filippo Patroni Griffi Independent 2013–2014

Composition

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Office Portrait Name Term of office Party
Prime Minister   Enrico Letta 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Undersecretaries
Deputy Prime Minister   Angelino Alfano 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 New Centre-Right
before 15 November 2013:
The People of Freedom
Minister of Foreign Affairs   Emma Bonino 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Italian Radicals
Deputy Ministers
Undersecretary
Minister of the Interior   Angelino Alfano 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 New Centre-Right
before 15 November 2013:
The People of Freedom
Deputy Minister
Undersecretaries
Minister of Justice   Anna Maria Cancellieri 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Independent
Undersecretaries
Minister of Defence   Mario Mauro 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Populars for Italy
before 23 November 2013:
Civic Choice
Undersecretaries
Minister of Economy and Finance   Fabrizio Saccomanni 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Independent
Deputy Ministers
Undersecretaries
Minister of Economic Development   Flavio Zanonato 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Deputy Ministers
Undersecretaries
Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies   Nunzia De Girolamo 28 April 2013 – 27 January 2014 New Centre-Right
before 15 November 2013:
The People of Freedom
  Enrico Letta
(Acting)
27 January 2014 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Undersecretaries
Minister of the Environment   Andrea Orlando 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Undersecretary
Minister of Infrastructure and Transport   Maurizio Lupi 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 New Centre-Right
before 15 November 2013:
The People of Freedom
Deputy Minister
Undersecretaries
Minister of Labour and Social Policies   Enrico Giovannini 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Independent
Deputy Minister
Undersecretaries
Minister of Education, University and Research   Maria Chiara Carrozza 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Undersecretaries
Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism   Massimo Bray 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Undersecretaries
Minister of Health   Beatrice Lorenzin 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 New Centre-Right
before 15 November 2013:
The People of Freedom
Undersecretary
Minister for Parliamentary Relations and Coordination of Governmental Activity
(without portfolio)
  Dario Franceschini 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Undersecretaries
Minister of Public Administration
(without portfolio)
  Gianpiero D'Alia 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Union of the Centre
Undersecretaries
Minister of Regional Affairs and Autonomies
(without portfolio)
  Graziano Delrio 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Undersecretaries
Minister of European Affairs
(without portfolio)
  Enzo Moavero Milanesi 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Civic Choice
Minister of Regional Affairs and Territorial Cohesion
(without portfolio)
  Carlo Trigilia 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Minister for Equal Opportunities, Sport and Youth Policies
(without portfolio)
  Josefa Idem 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Minister for Integration
(without portfolio)
  Cécile Kyenge 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Democratic Party
Minister for Constitutional Reforms
(without portfolio)
  Gaetano Quagliariello 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 New Centre-Right
before 15 November 2013:
The People of Freedom
Secretary of the Council of Ministers
(Undersecretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers)
  Filippo Patroni Griffi 28 April 2013 – 22 February 2014 Independent
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l before 16 November 2013: PdL
  2. ^ before 10 December 2013: SC
  3. ^ before 16 November 2013: GS
  4. ^ before 16 November 2013: MIR

References

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  1. ^ "Letta: Grande coalizione, bisogna farsene una ragione". Archived from the original on 8 October 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  2. ^ Colarusso, Gabriella (20 April 2013). "Napolitano bis: verso un governo di larghe intese". Lettera43. Archived from the original on 30 January 2019.
  3. ^ Dionisi, Brenda (9 May 2013). "It's a governissimo!". The Florentine (183). Archived from the original on 10 December 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Premier Enrico Letta wins confidence vote in House". ANSA. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Letta wins Senate confidence too". ANSA. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Factbox: Key ministers in Enrico Letta's new Italian government". Reuters. 27 April 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  7. ^ Frye, Andrew (24 April 2013). "Letta Named Italian Prime Minister as Impasse Ends". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  8. ^ "Italy PM-designate Enrico Letta agrees new government". BBC. 27 April 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  9. ^ "New Italian 'grand coalition' government sworn in". BBC News. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  10. ^ "Bridge-builder Enrico Letta seals Silvio Berlusconi deal". The Australian. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  11. ^ Berlusconi fa dimettere i ministri Letta: gesto folle per motivi personali Corriere della Sera
  12. ^ "Berlusconi expelled from Italian parliament over tax fraud". Reuters. 27 November 2013.
  13. ^ "Silvio Berlusconi's heir Angelino Alfano forms new party in Italy", The Independent, 15 November 2013, archived from the original on 14 June 2022
  14. ^ "Alfano lancia il Nuovo centrodestra: "No a Fi per me scelta dolorosa. No a decadenza Berlusconi"", Il Messaggero, 16 November 2013
  15. ^ "Mauro presenta i Popolari per l'Italia: "Elettori in comune con Ncd, ma idee diverse"", Corriere della Sera, 23 November 2013
  16. ^ "XVII Legislatura – XVII Legislatura – Lavori – Resoconti Assemblea – Dettaglio sedute". camera.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  17. ^ "Legislatura 17ª – Aula – Resoconto stenografico della seduta n. 017 del 30/04/2013". senato.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2 August 2019.
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