Enrico De Nicola facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Enrico De Nicola
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Official portrait, 1948
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| President of Italy | |
| In office 1 January 1948 – 12 May 1948 |
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| Prime Minister | Alcide De Gasperi |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Luigi Einaudi |
| Provisional Head of State of Italy | |
| In office 28 June 1946 – 1 January 1948 |
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| Prime Minister | Alcide De Gasperi |
| Preceded by | Alcide De Gasperi |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| President of the Constitutional Court | |
| In office 23 January 1956 – 26 March 1957 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Gaetano Azzariti |
| President of the Senate of the Republic | |
| In office 28 April 1951 – 24 June 1952 |
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| Preceded by | Ivanoe Bonomi |
| Succeeded by | Giuseppe Paratore |
| President of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office 26 June 1920 – 25 January 1924 |
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| Preceded by | Vittorio Emanuele Orlando |
| Succeeded by | Alfredo Rocco |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 November 1877 Naples, Campania, Kingdom of Italy |
| Died | 1 October 1959 (aged 81) Torre del Greco, Campania, Italy |
| Political party | Italian Liberal Party |
| Alma mater | University of Naples Federico II |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Signature |  |
Enrico De Nicola (born November 9, 1877 – died October 1, 1959) was an important Italian lawyer, journalist, and politician. He served as the provisional (temporary) head of state for Italy from 1946 to 1948. After that, he became the very first President of Italy on January 1, 1948.
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Enrico De Nicola's Early Life and Career
Enrico De Nicola was born in the city of Naples, Italy. He became well-known as a lawyer who specialized in criminal law. He studied law at the University of Naples and finished his degree in 1896.
He was part of the Liberal Party. In 1909, he was elected as a deputy, which is like a member of parliament. From 1913 to 1921, he held smaller government jobs.
In 1920, he was chosen as the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies. This meant he was in charge of leading the discussions in parliament. He held this important role until 1924.
Retirement and Return to Politics
After 1924, Enrico De Nicola decided to step away from politics. He was appointed as a senator in 1929 by King Victor Emmanuel III. However, he chose not to take his seat and did not participate in the Senate's work.
He went back to being a lawyer. He only became interested in politics again after Italian Fascism ended in 1943. This was when Benito Mussolini's government fell.
Italy's Transition to a Republic
After the fall of fascism, Italy went through a big change. The king, Victor Emmanuel, wanted to separate the monarchy from its past links with the Fascist regime. Enrico De Nicola played a key role in helping Italy make this change smoothly.
The king's son, Umberto, became the "Lieutenant-General of the Realm." This meant he took over most of the king's duties. Later, Victor Emmanuel gave up his throne. Umberto became King Umberto II for a short time.
In 1946, Italy held a special vote called a Constitutional Referendum. People voted to decide if Italy should remain a monarchy or become a republic. The people chose to become a republic.
Provisional Head of State
After Italy became a republic, a new group called the Constituent Assembly was elected. This assembly was tasked with writing a new constitution for Italy.
On June 28, 1946, the Constituent Assembly elected Enrico De Nicola as the Provisional Head of State. This meant he was the temporary leader of Italy. He received a huge number of votes, about 80%.
Interestingly, De Nicola was a very modest person. He wasn't sure if he should accept such an important job. He changed his mind many times, even though major political leaders kept asking him to take the role. A journalist even wrote an appeal asking him to make up his mind!
First President of Italy
On June 25, 1947, De Nicola resigned from his position. He said it was because of his health. However, the Constituent Assembly immediately re-elected him the very next day. They saw his resignation as a sign of his humility and noble character.
When the Italian Constitution officially started on January 1, 1948, Enrico De Nicola was formally named the "President of the Italian Republic." This made him Italy's first official president.
However, he decided not to run for president again in the first official election held in May 1948. Luigi Einaudi was then elected as the next president.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1948, because he had been a Head of State, Enrico De Nicola became a senator for life. This meant he would always be a senator. Later, he was also elected as the President of the Senate and the President of the Constitutional Court.
He passed away in Torre del Greco, near Naples, on October 1, 1959. He never married and did not have any children.
Political Roles and Achievements
Enrico De Nicola held several important political roles throughout his life. Besides being the Provisional Head of State and the first President of Italy, he also served as:
- President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies
- President of the Italian Senate
- President of the Constitutional Court
Images for kids
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Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity
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Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (1956)
See also
In Spanish: Enrico De Nicola para niños
