1916 - 1978
Member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic
A brief biography.
Aldo Moro was born on 13th September 1916 in Maglie, Italy. After his studies he was a professor of law at the University of Bari. He published several books on legal subjects and served also as president of the Federazione Universitaria Cattolica Italiana (Federation of Italian University Catholics, 1939-42) and the Movimento Laureati Cattolici (Movement of Catholic Graduates, 1945-46). After World War II, he was elected deputy to the Constituent Assembly and to the legislature. He held a succession of cabinet posts, including under-secretary of foreign affairs (December 1947-May 1948), minister of justice (1955-57), and minister of public instruction (1957-59).
Moro took office as secretary of the Christian Democrats during a crisis that threatened to split the party (March 1959). Although he was the leader of the Dorothean, or centrist, group of the Christian Democrats, he favoured forming a coalition with the Socialists and helped bring about the resignation of the conservative Christian Democrat prime minister Fernando Tambroni (July 1960). When he was invited to form his own government in December 1963, Moro assembled a cabinet that included some Socialists, who were participating in the government for the first time in 16 years. He served five times as premier of Italy (1963-64, 1964-66, 1966-68, 1974-76, and 1976.
In October 1976 he became president of the Christian Democrats and remained a powerful influence in Italian politics, even though he held no public office. On March 16, 1978, Moro was kidnapped in Rome by Red Brigades terrorists while on his way to attend a special session of the Parliament. After government officials repeatedly refused to release 13 members of the Red Brigades on trial in Turin, Moro was murdered in or near Rome by the terrorist kidnappers. His body was found in a car, parked in the centre of Rome on Mai 9, 1978.