Ralf Roletschek, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Giorgio Napolitano

Published: 31 December 2025

Giorgio Napolitano, a former member of the Italian Communist Party, was the 11th President of Italy from 2006 to 2015. Sometimes critically called 'King Giorgio' due to his dominence of Italian politics during this time, he is the longest serving president in the history of the Italian Republic. He is the only president to have been elected to serve two terms of office. He is also the only former communist to be elected as the head of a western power.

Giorgio Napolitano was born in Naples on June 29th 1925. He graduated from the University of Naples Federico II where he was a member of the local University Fascist Youth movement, actually a breeding ground for anti-fascist ideology. Towards the end of World War II, Giorgio Napolitano was involved in the Italian resistance movement, fighting against the Germans and the Italian fascists. At the end of the war, he joined the Italian Communist Party and remained a was a member until its dissolution in 1991, when he joined the Democratic Party. In 2006 he became Independent.

After the war, he entered politics and became a champion for Southern Italy. He was first elected to the parliament in 1953, standing for Naples, and was relected in every election until 1996. He was appointed President of the Chamber of Deputies and served from 3 June 1992 until 14 April 1994. He was then appointed Minister of the Interior and served from 17 May 1996 until 21 October 1998. He served as an MEP from 1999 to 2004.

In 2005, he was named a senator for life by the then president, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, and was elected as president himself in 2006. Having served his full term, he was re-elected for an unprecedented second term in 2013 at the age of 87. During his two presidencies, he presided over the governments of Romano Prodi, Silvio Berlusconi, Mario Monti, Enrico Letta and Matteo Renzi. His resignation, on 14 January 2015, coincided with the end of the six month Italian Presidency of the European Union.

Giorgio Napolitano died in Rome on 22 September, 2023, at the age of 98.

Italy — national feature image — Italy at a glance — then the bigger picture: what shaped the state, how it works, what it produces, and where it stands.

Italy — global snapshot

Stable reference signals for quick orientation.

Area

301,340 km²

Covers a long peninsula extending into the Mediterranean, plus two major islands — Sicily and Sardinia — and numerous smaller island groups. The geography includes alpine regions, fertile plains, volcanic zones, and extensive coastline, shaping settlement, climate, and transport patterns.

Population

~59 million

One of the largest populations in the European Union, with density concentrated in urban and northern regions. Long-term demographic trends include low birth rates, population ageing, and increasing reliance on inward migration for workforce balance.

Coastline

~7,600 km

A predominantly maritime nation bordered by the Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, Ionian, and Ligurian seas. The extended coastline supports ports, tourism, fisheries, naval infrastructure, and a long-standing seafaring and trading tradition.

UNESCO sites

The highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites globally, spanning ancient cities, archaeological landscapes, historic centres, and cultural routes. This reflects Italy’s layered civilisations and the density of preserved cultural assets across its territory.

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Member of the Eurozone, with monetary policy set at European Central Bank level. Use of the euro facilitates trade, investment, and financial integration across the EU single market.

Time

CET / CEST

Operates on Central European Time, with daylight saving applied seasonally. The time zone aligns Italy with major European capitals, supporting coordination in business, transport, and broadcasting.

Tourism

~50–65M

Among the world’s most visited countries, attracting visitors for heritage cities, landscapes, cuisine, and lifestyle. Tourism is economically significant but regionally uneven, with strong seasonal concentration in major destinations.

Global role

A founding member of the European Union and a permanent participant in G7 coordination. Italy’s influence is exercised through diplomacy, industrial capability, cultural reach, and multilateral institutions.

Governance