Forlani, Arnaldo

(1925– )

   A parliamentarian from 1958 to 1994, Arnaldo Forlani was leader of the Democrazia Cristiana/ Christian Democracy Party (DC) from 1989 to 1992. During that period, his ambition to become president of the Republic was dashed, and the DC was crushed by bribery scandals. Forlani is a native of Pesaro, a middle-sized city in the Marches, his constant electoral base. He was elected to Parliament in 1958 and took office in the late 1960s, first as minister for state participation in industry and then for relations with the United Nations. In 1969, he became party leader, a post he held until 1973.

   In 1973, Forlani briefly became secretary general of the European Christian Democratic Union, but he was soon called back to high office in Italy, becoming minister of defense (1974–1976), foreign minister (1976–1979), and, finally, prime minister from October 1980 to June1981. During the first premiership of Bettino Craxi, Forlani was vice premier. Forlani became party leader once more in February 1989, when the DC’s center faction, with the support of the faction of Giulio Andreotti, combined to vote out the then leader (and prime minister), Ciriaco De Mita. This move, which was strongly backed by Craxi, handed the reins of power in Italy over to the so-called CAF (Craxi-Andreotti-Forlani). The three men governed—or misgoverned —the country until the electoral and judicial disasters of 1992–1993. Perhaps because Craxi feared him less than Andreotti, Forlani was the triumvirate’s choice to become president after the resignation of Francesco Cossiga in April 1992. Forlani obtained only 469 votes, 40 less than the required quota, and 80 less than the government parties theoretically controlled. Even after frantic arm-twisting by party whips, Forlani’s vote only increased by 10 in a subsequent ballot, and he was forced to drop out of the contest. His defeat symbolized the CAF’s loss of control over the newly elected Parliament. Had Forlani won the presidency, he would have appointed Craxi prime minister, and the world would never have heard of the Mani pulite (“Clean Hands”) investigation. Forlani himself was drawn into the bribery scandals and, in December 1993, was subjected to a ruthless cross-examination by Antonio Di Pietro when he was called as a witness to explain bribes paid to the DC by the chemical company Enimont. Forlani literally frothed at the mouth as he frantically tried to avoid the prosecutor’s pointed questions. He left the witness box with his political career in ruins.

   See also Pentapartito.