Giovanni Giolitti
Italian statesman and five times prime minister (1892-1893, 1903-1905, 1906-1909, 1911-1914, and 1920-1921). A legendary figure of the Liberal era, Giovanni Giolitti was renowned for his ability to manipulate the political system. A canny political operator, he excelled in forming coalitions with the least likely candidates. Like several of his predecessors, notably Camillo Cavour (prime minister 1860-1861), Agostino Depretis (prime minister 1876-1878, 1878-1879, 1881-1887) and Francesco Crispi (prime minister 1887-1891, 1893-1896) mastered the art of trasformismo - the ability to mould governments, not on the basis of political party affiliation, but on the basis of common agendas and compromise.
A law graduate and a civil servant, Giolitti entered parliament in 1882 holding his seat for almost fifty years until his death in 1928. Many were surprised when Giolitti, the bureaucrat, was chosen prime minister in May 1892. He outlined a program of reform and reorganisation but was soon enveloped in a bank scandal, in which many government officials were implicated. Furthermore, his moderate reaction to strikes in Sicily proved unpopular and forced him to resign in November 1893.
After the eventual downfall of Crispi in March 1896, Giolitti took an influential behind-the-scenes role in forming governments. After a widespread outbreak of strikes in 1901, he delivered an important speech; in it he argued that the government should maintain order but remain neutral in labour disputes. As minister of the interior (February 1901-June 1903) and as prime minister (November 1903-March 1905), he adopted toward strikes a calm attitude that earned him both praise and criticism. He resigned his second ministry but saw to it that one of his supporters, Alessandro Fortis, filled his place.
His third ministry, formed in May 1906, was marked by useful reform and concessions to the church on education; and he resigned while still powerful (December 1909). He began a fourth ministry in March 1911, during which he bowed to nationalistic pressures and began the Italo-Turkish War (1911-12), which ended with Italian possession of Libya. In his memoirs (published in 1923), Giolitti gave his reasons for starting the war in Turkey. He also introduced wider suffrage (1913). Nevertheless, dissatisfaction with his leadership increased, and he resigned in March 1914.
Giolitti actively opposed intervention in World War I because he knew that Italy, which had declared neutrality in August 1914, was unprepared. Italy entered the war on the side of the Allies in May 1915. As prime minister for the last time, Giolitti in June 1920 undertook the reconstruction of Italy. His passive role during the rise of Benito Mussolini and the Fascist party is a major blemish in his career which spanned five decades.