Giulio Andreotti

Born Jan. 14, 1919, in Rome. Italian state and political figure.

A lawyer by education, Andreotti has worked as a journalist. He began his political activity in the Catholic youth movement. In 1944 he became a member of the National Council of the Christian Democratic Party (CDP). He has been a member of Parliament continuously since 1948. Between 1954 and 1968, Andreotti held positions in several Italian governments; he was at different times minister of internal affairs, minister of finance, minister of the treasury, minister of defense, and minister of industry and commerce. In 1968 he was elected chairman of the CDP members in the Chamber of Deputies.

In 1972 and 1973 and again from 1976 to 1979, Andreotti was president of the Council of Ministers of Italy. In the period from 1973 to 1976 he served as minister of defense, minister for the budget and economic planning, and minister for southern affairs.