Altiero Spinelli (1907-1986)
The
Italian politician Altiero Spinelli was one of the fathers of the European
Union. He was the leading figure behind the European Parliament's complete
proposal for a Treaty on a federal European Union - the so-called Spinelli
Plan. This was in 1982 adopted by an overwhelming majority in the parliament
and provided an important inspiration for the strengthening of the EU Treaties
in the 1980s and 90s.
As a 17 year old, Spinelli had joined the Communist Party, as a consequence
of which he was imprisoned by the fascist regime between 1927 and 1943. At
a conference of European resistance in early 1944 he was one of the initiators
of a proposal for a European Manifest. At the end of the war, he founded the
federal European movement in Italy.
In the role of advisor to personalities like de Gasperi, Spaak and Monnet,
he worked for European unification. A trained juror, he also furthered the
European cause in the academic field, and founded the Institute for International
Matters in Rome.
As a member of the European Commission he took over the area of internal
policy from 1970 to 1976. For three years he served as a Member of Parliament
for the Italian Communist Party before being elected to the European Parliament
in 1979.
