Luigi Sturzo

Italian People's Party (1919–1926) Conservatism and Christian democracy 1871–1959 ○ Natural causes

Catholic priest who founded the Italian People's Party, a father of Christian democracy driven into exile by Fascism

Born in Caltagirone in Sicily and ordained in 1894, he was vice-mayor of his home town from 1905 to 1920. In January 1919, with the Pope's permission, he founded the Italian People's Party, which won 100 seats that year; until 1922 no government could stand without it, and in 1922 he blocked Giolitti's return. A committed anti-fascist, he held the party to an anti-fascist line at its Turin congress of 1923, but when Mussolini threatened reprisals against the whole clergy he resigned the leadership in July after consulting the Holy See. Exiled to London in 1924, he wrote against Fascism, returned in 1946 and became a senator for life in 1953.

Also known as: Don Luigi Sturzo