Giovanni Leone, 93; Served 7 Years as Italy’s President in the 1970s
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Giovanni Leone, 93, Italy’s president for much of the 1970s, died Friday in his home outside Rome.
Born in Naples in 1908, Leone was a prominent criminal lawyer and a university professor. He took part in the assembly that drafted Italy’s constitution in the aftermath of World War II.
A prominent member of the Christian Democratic Party, Leone was first elected to parliament in 1948. He also served as caretaker prime minister and speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, the legislature’s lower house.
He became president in 1971 and resigned six months before the end of his seven-year term amid allegations of links to a major payoff scandal involving U.S. aircraft manufacturer Lockheed.
Leone called the accusations against him “slanderous,” and said the scandal had weakened his political clout. He said he resigned in the interest of democratic stability. The allegations were never proved.
Like all former presidents, Leone was made a senator for life.
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