Francesco De Martino

Francesco de Martino (31 May 1907 – 18 November 2002) was an Italian jurist, politician, lifetime senator (1991–2002) and former Vice President of the Council of Ministers. He was considered by many to be the conscience of the Italian Socialist Party.

Biography De Martino was born on 31 May 1907 in Naples, Italy. He graduated from the law school Federico II in Naples, and, under the guidance of Enrico De Nicola, embarked on the study of law and economics and became a distinguished scholar of Roman law.

Emeritus Professor of law at the law school Federico II in Naples, he published several tomes, among which, the History of the Roman Constitution (in six tomes, which was compared for his monumental significance to the "Staatsrecht" by Theodor Mommsen) and the Economic History of Ancient Rome; his publications were translated in English, Spanish, German, French and Chinese.

He first joined the Action Party (an anti-fascist political party) in 1943, and then joined the reconstituted Socialist Party in 1945.

At the first elections of the new Italian Republic in 1948, he was elected to Parliament with the Popular Front alliance of communists and socialists. He soon won the confidence of party leader Pietro Nenni, to whom he became vice secretary. In 1959, Nenni would entrust De Mortino with leading the socialist magazine Mondoperaio.

De Martino served as Deputy Prime Minister during the Rumor I, Rumor III, and Colombo governments.

De Martino was twice the PSI's candidate for the presidential elections, in 1971 and 1978. This time, however, the more popular socialist, the former Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Sandro Pertini was elected. De Martino's candidacy was tarnished when the family paid a 1bn lire ransom for his release, his son Guido, who was kidnapped by the Camorra for 40 days. He was dismayed by the demise of the historical socialist party after the corruption under Craxi.

He resumed his academic career at the law school Federico II, where his secular funeral was celebrated in the presence of the President of Italy, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.

De Martino died in Naples on 18 November 2002. He is survived by his children, Armando, Guido, Antonino, Elisa and Laura.

Electoral history ElectionHouseConstituencyPartyVotesResult 1948 Chamber of Deputies Naples–Caserta FDP 20,452 Elected 1953 Chamber of Deputies Naples–Caserta PSI 42,108 Elected 1958 Chamber of Deputies Naples–Caserta PSI 43,295 Elected 1963 Chamber of Deputies Naples–Caserta PSI 59,965 Elected 1968 Chamber of Deputies Naples–Caserta PSI 61,431 Elected 1972 Chamber of Deputies Naples–Caserta PSI 66,296 Elected 1976 Chamber of Deputies Naples–Caserta PSI 69,244 Elected 1979 Chamber of Deputies Naples–Caserta PSI 83,634 Elected 1983 Senate of the Republic Campania – Naples III PSI 11,243 Elected