Luigi Berlinguer (; 25 July 1932 – 1 November 2023) was an Italian jurist and politician. He was a professor at the University of Siena, and also served as the Italian Minister of University and Research and the Italian Minister of Education.
Early life and education
Berlinguer was born in Sassari, Sardinia, on 25 July 1932. His brother, Sergio Berlinguer, was a diplomat and politician. They were cousins of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) leader Enrico Berlinguer, who died in 1984. He obtained a law degree from the University of Sassari in 1955.
Career
Berlinguer served as mayor of Sennori. He was the president of the University of Siena until April 1993, when he was appointed to the Ciampi Cabinet as minister of universities, science, and technology. He was one of the three ex-PCI members in the cabinet. He served as the minister of education between 1996 and 2000 in the cabinets led first by Romano Prodi and then by Massimo D'Alema. He was also acting minister of universities, science, and technology from 1996 to October 1998. He was succeeded by Ortensio Zecchino as minister. In addition, he served in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic.
As a member of the Democratic Party, Berlinguer was elected as a member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 2009, sitting as part of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. In the European Parliament, he served as first vice-chair of the committee on legal affairs and as a member of the committee on culture and education beginning in 2009. In 2011, he received by the European Parliament the MEP award in the field of culture and education.
Death
Berlinguer died on 1 November 2023, aged 91.
Honours
Knight Grand Cross Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, 27 December 1992.
See also
List of members of the European Parliament for Italy, 2009–2014
References
External links
1932 births
2023 deaths
Academic staff of the University of Siena
Democratic Party of the Left politicians
Democrats of the Left politicians
Democratic Party (Italy) MEPs
Deputies of Legislature IV of Italy
Deputies of Legislature XII of Italy
Deputies of Legislature XIII of Italy
Education ministers of Italy
Government ministers of Italy
Grand Crosses with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Heads of universities in Italy Italian Communist Party politicians Italian people of Catalan descent Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Mayors of places in Italy MEPs for Italy 2009–2014 People from Sassari Senators of Legislature XIV of Italy University of Sassari alumni