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Stefano Rodotà
Stefano Rodotà.jpg
Rodotà in 2013
Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
30 April 1992 – 4 June 1992
President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro
Giorgio Napolitano
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
20 June 1979 – 14 April 1994
Personal details
Born (1933-05-30)30 May 1933
Cosenza, Italy
Died 23 June 2017(2017-06-23) (aged 84)
Rome, Italy
Political party PR (Before 1976)
Independent Left (1976–1992)
PDS (1992–1998)
DS (1998–2007)
Independent (2007–2017)
Alma mater Sapienza University
Occupation University professor

Stefano Rodotà (born May 30, 1933 – died June 23, 2017) was an Italian legal expert and politician. He was known for his work in law and his time in the Italian Parliament.

Early Life and Education

Stefano Rodotà was born in 1933 in Cosenza, Italy. He came from a middle-class family. He went to high school in his hometown. Later, he studied at the Sapienza University of Rome. He graduated in 1955, focusing on law.

Stefano was the brother of Antonio Rodotà, an engineer. His daughter, Maria Laura Rodotà, became a journalist. She wrote for the newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Academic Career

After graduating, Stefano Rodotà became a professor. He taught Civil Law at the Sapienza University of Rome. He was later given the special title of "Emeritus Professor." This means he was a highly respected former professor.

He also taught and gave talks at many universities. These included schools in the United States, Canada, and Australia. He was a visiting scholar at All Souls College, Oxford and Stanford Law School. He also worked with the Pantheon-Sorbonne University in Paris. He received honorary degrees from two other universities.

Rodotà was involved with the International University College of Turin. He also helped with the NEXA Center for Internet and Society. This center researches how the internet affects society.

Political Career

Stefano Rodotà first joined the Radical Party. In 1979, he was elected to the Italian Parliament. He represented a group called the Independent Left. This group was connected to the Italian Communist Party. He worked on a committee that dealt with the country's laws.

He was re-elected to Parliament in 1983 and 1987. In 1989, he became a "Shadow Minister of Justice." This meant he was part of an opposition group. He would have been the Minister of Justice if his party had been in power. He later joined the Democratic Party of the Left.

In 1992, he was elected to Parliament for the fourth time. He became the Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies. This is one of the main parts of the Italian Parliament. He decided not to run for Parliament again in 1994. He chose to go back to teaching at the university.

Work in Europe

Napolitano e Rodotà 1986
Rodotà with Giorgio Napolitano in 1986

From 1983 to 1994, Rodotà was part of the Council of Europe's Parliament. In 1989, he was also elected to the European Parliament. There, he helped write the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. This document lists important rights for people in Europe.

Bioethics and Privacy

Stefano Rodotà was very involved in topics like bioethics and privacy. Bioethics looks at the ethical issues in biology and medicine. He was part of groups that advised the European Commission on these matters.

From 1997 to 2005, he was the first President of the Italian Authority for the Protection of Personal Data. This group protects people's privacy in Italy. He also led a group in the European Union that focused on privacy rights. He was also involved with the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party. This group worked on data protection across Europe.

In 2010, he suggested adding a new article to the Italian Constitution. This article would say: "Everyone has an equal right to access the internet, on equal terms." This shows his strong belief in internet access for all. He also helped create a public vote in 2009. This vote was against selling off water and other public services. Over 26 million people voted for it.

Candidate for President of Italy

In 2013, Stefano Rodotà was suggested as a candidate for the President of Italy. He was supported by the Five Star Movement and other groups.

Other Activities

Stefano Rodotà was an honorary member of a group that supported the decriminalization of euthanasia. He also led the Lelio Basso Foundation. He directed a festival about rights in Piacenza in 2008.

He worked for several Italian newspapers and magazines. He also led a commission that worked on reforming Italian civil law. This commission was known for its definition of "the commons." These are resources that belong to everyone.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Stefano Rodotà para niños

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