Altiero Spinelli
Altiero Spinelli (Rome, August 31st 1907 - Rome, May 23rd 1986) was an Italian politician, in favor of the European Fédéralisme. Journalist, young Communist militant and antifascist, it was condemned in 1927, under the mode of Mussolini, at 16 years of prison. He was off-set on the island of Ventotene where he wrote a proclamation for plain Europe. He is sometimes quoted among the " Founding fathers " European Union because of its influence on European integration post-war period.
Founder of the European federalistic Movement in 1943, then cofounder of the Union of the European federalists he was later member of the European commission, then first the European Parliament elected by the universal direct suffrage in 1979. He was one of the promoters of a draft treaty on the European Union adopted by the the European Parliament in 1984. One generally allots to this project the revival of European construction with the adoption of the Single act.
Beginning of its life
Spinelli born in Rome in 1907. It is initiated by his father, Socialist convinced, with the policy. It joined the very young Italian Communist party and becomes journalist protestor with arivée with the capacity of Mussolini. Decree on June 3rd, 1927 in Milan, it spends 10 years in prison followed by 6 years of insulation, with Ponza in spring 1937 then as from June 1939 on the island of Ventotene years the Gulf of Gaeta with 800 other hostile dissidents with the fascistic mode.
The proclamation of Ventotene
In June 1941, Spinelli and Ernesto Rossi write a " Proclamation for free Europe and unie" today known under the name of Proclamation of Ventotene. To keep the secrecy and fault of paper, the Proclamation is written on cigarette paper and is hidden in the false content of an iron box.
The Proclamation blames the national State and regards it as being the cause of the Second world war. It indicates that the strategic priority for the progressists must be the fight for the European Fédération rather than the transformation of the national State.
The Proclamation will circulate clandestinely in Italian Resistance and will be adopted as programs European federalistic Mouvement (MFE) that Spinelli founded the 27 - August 28th 1943 with Milan. The Proclamation was published later in several languages.
In parallel, Spinelli remains committed in policy and adheres to the Partito d' Azione semi-1944 where it takes part in the secretariat and directs several publications. It remains there up to 1946.
The MFE adheres in 1946 to the Union of the European federalists like Italian section, where Spinelli exerts responsibilities. It will become in 1962 general secretary of the MFE.
A European politician
Spinelli takes part in the efforts for launching European construction in the Après-guerre. It takes part in particular in the creation of the Union of the European federalists then to the Congrès of $the Hague.
In 1951, it advises with Alcide De Gasperi during the negotiation of the treaty of European Community of defense whose article 38 provides that the parliamentary assembly will make a proposal of the political Community.
Within the federalistic movement he preaches an orientation on the left movement, which is opposed at the time in particular to the Gaullisme to the capacity in France. In Italy, he becomes adviser of Pietro Nenni and appointed 1976 with 1983.
In 1970, Spinelli becomes member of the European commission in load of the industrial policy and research. It will occupy this function until in 1976.
Member of the European parliamentary Parliament (1976-1979), it is elected related Communist of the first European Parliament indicated by the vote for all in 1979, it founds the Club of the Crocodile, a group of eurodéputés meeting in the restaurant of Strasbourg of the same name. This group acts, in accordance with the slogan “We voted who will control? ”, so that the Parliament makes a proposal for a constitutional type to start again European construction. Spinelli becomes rapporteur of the institutional Commission which proposes a draft treaty of European Union adopted on February 14th, 1984 by the European Parliament. Spinelli is re-elected in 1984.
Deceased in 1986, Spinelli is buried on the island of Ventotene in the presence of many personalities of which Jacques Delors, then president of the European commission. The Spinelli Institute organizes each year a training seminar there.
Today, one of the wings of the building of the European Parliament in Brussels bears its name, the other foil that of Paul-Henri Spaak. The building is indicated by abbreviation ASP.
Bonds external
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Card on the site of the European Parliament
- Biography on www.touteleurope.fr.
- Articles on Altiero Spinelli
- the Proclamation of Ventotene - www.altierospinelli.org