Leonida Bissolati


Bissolati, Leonida

 

(also L. Bissolati-Bergamaschi). Born Feb. 20,1857; died Mar. 6,1920. Italian political figure. One of the leaders of the Socialist Party from 1892 to 1912; editor-in-chief of the newspaper Avanti! from 1896 to 1903 and from 1908 to 1912.

From 1897 on, Bissolati was a member of Parliament. He favored cooperation of the socialists with the liberal bourgeoisie and with theGiolitti government. In 1912 he was expelled from the party, along with a group of right-wing reformists that he headed, for supporting the Italian government in the expansionist Libyan war. The Reformist Socialist Party he set up did not enjoy the support of the masses. During World War I he was one of the most ardent social chauvinists. He was a member of the government from 1916 to 1918.