Bettino Craxi, born Benedetto Craxi on February 24, 1934, in Milan, Italy, was a towering figure in Italian politics during the late 20th century. As a leader of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) and the first Socialist Prime Minister of Italy, Craxi’s influence on Italian and European politics was significant. However, his career was marred by controversy, culminating in his dramatic fall from power during the Tangentopoli corruption scandal. This article explores the life, career, and legacy of Bettino Craxi, offering detailed insights into his rise to power, his political achievements, and the circumstances that led to his downfall.
Early Life and Political Beginnings
Bettino Craxi was born into a family with strong anti-fascist and socialist values. His father, Vittorio Craxi, was a Sicilian lawyer who became a prefect in Milan and Como, while his mother, Maria Ferrari, hailed from a working-class background. These influences shaped Craxi’s early political beliefs, steering him towards socialism and liberalism.
Craxi joined the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) at a young age, becoming actively involved in its youth wing during his high school years. Despite his disinterest in formal education—he struggled through school and ultimately left university without completing a degree—Craxi was deeply committed to politics. In the 1950s, he began his career as a party functionary in Sesto San Giovanni, a working-class suburb of Milan known as the “Stalingrad of Italy” due to its strong leftist presence.
Craxi’s rise within the PSI was rapid. By the age of 23, he was already a member of the party’s central committee, and in 1965, he joined the party’s national leadership. During these years, Craxi also served as a municipal councilor in Milan, where he honed his political skills and developed a reputation as a shrewd and ambitious politician.
The Path to Leadership
Craxi’s ascent to the leadership of the PSI came in 1976, a time of great turmoil within the party. The PSI had been struggling to assert its identity and political relevance amid the dominance of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) and the Christian Democrats (DC). Craxi was initially seen as a transitional leader, expected to stabilize the party before handing over to a more permanent figure. However, he quickly proved himself to be a dynamic and visionary leader, intent on modernizing the PSI and making it a major force in Italian politics.
One of Craxi’s most significant contributions was his rebranding of the PSI. He distanced the party from its traditional Marxist-Leninist roots, instead promoting a form of democratic socialism influenced by the ideas of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. Under Craxi’s leadership, the PSI adopted the red carnation as its symbol, replacing the hammer and sickle, a move that symbolized the party’s shift towards a more moderate and reformist stance.
Craxi’s vision for the PSI was encapsulated in his concept of the “alternative strategy,” which he articulated at the party’s 1978 congress in Turin. This strategy was a direct challenge to the “historic compromise” advocated by PCI leader Enrico Berlinguer, which sought cooperation between the communists and the Christian Democrats. Craxi instead advocated for a clear alternative to both the PCI and DC, positioning the PSI as the party of democratic socialism that could provide a third way in Italian politics.
Prime Minister of Italy: Achievements and Controversies
Bettino Craxi’s most significant achievement came in 1983 when he became the first Socialist Prime Minister of Italy, heading a five-party coalition government. His tenure as Prime Minister, which lasted until 1987, was marked by a combination of economic reforms, foreign policy initiatives, and significant political maneuvering.
One of Craxi’s most notable achievements was his role in stabilizing the Italian economy. When he took office, Italy was grappling with high inflation and public debt. Craxi implemented a series of austerity measures, including cuts to public spending and reforms to the pension system. One of his most controversial economic policies was the 1984 decree that reduced the automatic wage indexation mechanism known as the “scala mobile.” This move was fiercely opposed by the trade unions and led to a major political confrontation, but it was credited with helping to bring down inflation.
On the international stage, Craxi played a pivotal role in shaping Italy’s foreign policy during the Cold War. He was a staunch supporter of NATO and the European Community, advocating for a strong European integration. However, he also sought to assert Italy’s independence in global affairs. This was most evident in the 1985 Sigonella Crisis, when Craxi refused to hand over to the United States the Palestinian hijackers of the Achille Lauro cruise ship, insisting that they be tried in Italy. This standoff with the Reagan administration demonstrated Craxi’s willingness to challenge even the most powerful allies to protect Italian sovereignty.
Craxi’s time as Prime Minister also saw significant changes in the relationship between the Italian state and the Catholic Church. In 1984, he oversaw the revision of the Lateran Pacts, which redefined the relationship between Italy and the Vatican. The new agreement ended Catholicism’s status as the state religion and introduced the eight per mille system, allowing taxpayers to allocate a portion of their taxes to the church or other recognized religious institutions.
The Fall from Power: Tangentopoli and Exile
Despite his achievements, Bettino Craxi’s political career came to a dramatic and ignominious end in the early 1990s, during the Tangentopoli corruption scandal. Tangentopoli, which translates to “Bribesville,” was a nationwide investigation into political corruption led by the Milanese judiciary, known as Mani Pulite (Clean Hands). The investigation uncovered widespread corruption across all levels of Italian politics, with kickbacks and illegal financing involving major parties, including Craxi’s PSI.
Craxi initially dismissed the allegations, describing the scandal as the work of a few “mariuoli” (petty thieves) within the party. However, as the investigation deepened, it became clear that the corruption was systemic and involved some of the highest-ranking officials, including Craxi himself. In 1992, Craxi famously addressed the Italian Parliament, challenging his colleagues to stand up if they had not also been involved in illegal financing. His words underscored the pervasive nature of the corruption but also highlighted his own complicity.
In 1993, as the scandal intensified, Craxi was forced to resign from his position as party leader and faced multiple charges of corruption and illegal party financing. Despite his attempts to mount a defense, the tide of public opinion had turned against him. In 1994, facing arrest, Craxi fled to Tunisia, where he lived in self-imposed exile in the town of Hammamet.
During his years in exile, Craxi remained defiant, refusing to return to Italy to face trial. He continued to maintain his innocence, arguing that he was being scapegoated for practices that were widespread across the Italian political spectrum. Despite this, he was convicted in absentia on multiple charges and sentenced to a total of 27 years in prison.
Death and Legacy
Bettino Craxi died on January 19, 2000, in Hammamet, Tunisia, after a long battle with diabetes and other health issues. His death marked the end of a dramatic and controversial chapter in Italian political history. To his supporters, Craxi was a visionary leader who modernized the Italian Socialist Party and played a key role in stabilizing Italy’s economy during a turbulent period. To his detractors, he was a symbol of the corruption and cronyism that plagued Italian politics for decades.
The legacy of Bettino Craxi remains a topic of debate in Italy. In the years following his death, there has been a gradual reassessment of his contributions to Italian politics. Some argue that his role in modernizing the PSI and his achievements as Prime Minister should be recognized, while others maintain that his involvement in the Tangentopoli scandal cannot be overlooked.
In 2009, a proposal to name a street in Milan after Craxi sparked controversy, reflecting the ongoing divisions over his legacy. However, his influence on Italian politics is undeniable. Craxi was one of the most significant political figures in post-war Italy, and his impact continues to be felt in the country’s political landscape.
Conclusion
Bettino Craxi’s life was a study in contrasts. He rose from humble beginnings to become Italy’s first Socialist Prime Minister, leaving a lasting mark on the country’s political and economic landscape. His leadership brought significant reforms and helped shape Italy’s role in Europe and the world. However, his career was ultimately overshadowed by the Tangentopoli scandal, which exposed the deep-seated corruption within Italian politics and led to his downfall.
Craxi’s story is a reminder of the complexities of political leadership and the fine line between power and downfall. His contributions to Italian politics are undeniable, but they are inextricably linked to the controversies that led to his exile and the end of an era in Italian history. As Italy continues to grapple with its political legacy, the name Bettino Craxi remains both a symbol of ambition and a cautionary tale of the dangers of political corruption.
