Grand Council of Fascism
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Gran Consiglio del Fascismo | |
Coat of Arms
|
|
Abbreviation | Grand Council |
---|---|
Formation | 9 December 1928 |
Dissolved | 25 July 1943 |
Legal status | Constitutional body |
Headquarters | Palazzo Venezia, Rome |
King Victor Emmanuel III | |
Benito Mussolini |
The Grand Council of Fascism (Italian: Gran Consiglio del Fascismo , also translated "Fascist Grand Council") was the main body of Mussolini's Fascist government in Italy, that held and applied great power to control the institutions of government. It was created as a body of the National Fascist Party in 1922, and became a state body on 9 December 1928. The council usually met at the Palazzo Venezia, Rome, which was also the seat of the head of the Italian government.[1] The Council became extinct following a series of events in 1943, in which Benito Mussolini was voted out of the Prime Ministry of Italy.
Contents
Powers of the Council
Essentially, the council held these powers:
- The power to elect the Fascist Party deputies, the nomination for the Party Secretary and other party leaders, the approval of the party statutes and the power regarding the party's policy.
- The power to elect the Crown's line of succession including the choice of the heir to the throne, the right of the crown, the power to choose possible successors to the Prime Minister, the power to choose the function and membership of the Grand Council, the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies (later the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations), the power to decide the rights and powers of the Prime Minister, international Treaties, and foreign affairs.
The Grand Council meetings were convened by the Prime Minister himself, and all decrees and laws could only be legalized after receiving his approval. In contrast to the Führerprinzip government model in Nazi Germany, the Grand Council retained the power to recommend that the King of Italy remove the Prime Minister from office. As all the former governing institutions had been subordinated to the Fascist party, the Council was the only check on Mussolini's power.
Overthrow of Mussolini
<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
The Allies invaded Sicily in July 1943. Grand Council member Dino Grandi proposed a vote of no confidence in Mussolini as leader of the Council and the party. A vote was held on the night of 24–25 July 1943 and passed with 19 votes for, 8 against and one abstention. Among the 19 votes of no confidence were those of Mussolini's son-in-law Galeazzo Ciano, who had been former minister of foreign affairs, and the influential marshal Emilio De Bono.
The following day King Victor Emmanuel met Mussolini and informed him that General Pietro Badoglio would lead Italy, as Prime Minister. Mussolini was arrested immediately after the meeting.[2]
In September 1943 Mussolini was freed from imprisonment by German commandos and helped to regain power in northern Italy. He had Ciano, De Bono and three others arrested and tried for treason on 8 January 1944 in Verona. They were executed by firing squad three days later.[3][4]
Members of the Council
The composition of the Council was revised and defined by a law of 14 December 1929. Its members, selected among the party's gerarchi, are below. Their vote on the 25 July 1943 motion to depose Mussolini is also given next to their name.
Head of Government and Duce of Fascism | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
Benito Mussolini (1883–1945) |
14 December 1929 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Deposed |
The Quadrumvirs | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
90px | Italo Balbo (1896–1940) |
14 December 1929 | 28 June 1940 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Died in Office |
Michele Bianchi (1883–1930) |
14 December 1929 | 3 February 1930 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Died in Office | |
90px | Emilio De Bono (1866–1944) |
14 December 1929 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Yes |
90px | Cesare Maria De Vecchi (1884–1959) |
14 December 1929 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Yes |
President of the Senate | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
Luigi Federzoni (1878–1967) |
14 December 1929 | 2 March 1939 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
90px | Giacomo Suardo (1883–1947) |
15 March 1939 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Abstention |
President of the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations[lower-alpha 1] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
90px | Giovanni Giuriati (1876–1970) |
14 December 1929 | 19 January 1934 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Costanzo Ciano (1876–1939) |
28 April 1934 | 26 June 1939 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Died in office |
Dino Grandi (1895–1988) |
30 November 1939 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Yes |
Minister of Agriculture and Forests | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
Giacomo Acerbo (1888–1969) |
14 December 1929 | 24 January 1935 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
90px | Edmondo Rossoni (1884–1965) |
24 January 1935 | 31 October 1939 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Giuseppe Tassinari (1891–1944) |
31 October 1939 | 26 December 1941 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Carlo Pareschi (1898–1944) |
26 December 1941 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Yes |
Minister of Corporations | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
Giuseppe Bottai (1895–1959) |
14 December 1929 | 20 July 1932 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
Benito Mussolini (1883–1945) |
20 July 1932 | 11 June 1936 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
90px | Ferruccio Lantini (1886–1959) |
11 June 1936 | 31 October 1939 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Renato Ricci (1896–1956) |
31 October 1939 | 6 February 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Carlo Tiengo (1882–1945) |
6 February 1943 | 19 April 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Tullio Cianetti (1899–1976) |
19 April 1943 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Yes |
Minister of Finance | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
90px | Antonio Mosconi (1866–1955) |
14 December 1929 | 20 July 1932 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Guido Jung (1876–1949) |
20 July 1932 | 17 January 1935 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Paolo Thaon di Revel (1888–1973) |
17 January 1935 | 6 February 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
Giacomo Acerbo (1888–1969) |
6 February 1943 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Yes |
Minister of Foreign Affairs | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
Benito Mussolini (1883–1945) |
14 December 1922 | 12 September 1929 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
Dino Grandi (1895–1988) |
12 September 1929 | 20 July 1932 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
Benito Mussolini (1883–1945) |
20 July 1932 | 9 June 1936 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
90px | Galeazzo Ciano (1903–1944) |
9 June 1936 | 6 February 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
Benito Mussolini (1883–1945) |
6 February 1943 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Deposed |
Minister of the Interior | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
Benito Mussolini (1883–1945) |
14 December 1929 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Deposed |
Minister of Grace and Justice[lower-alpha 2] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
90px | Alfredo Rocco (1875–1935) |
14 December 1929 | 20 July 1932 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Pietro De Francisci (1883–1971) |
20 July 1932 | 24 January 1935 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Arrigo Solmi (1873–1944) |
24 January 1935 | 12 July 1939 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
Dino Grandi (1895–1988) |
12 July 1939 | 5 February 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
90px | Alfredo De Marsico (1888–1985) |
5 February 1943 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Yes |
Minister of Popular Culture[lower-alpha 3] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
90px | Galeazzo Ciano (1903–1944) |
23 June 1935 | 11 June 1936 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Dino Alfieri (1886–1966) |
11 June 1936 | 31 October 1939 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Alessandro Pavolini (1903–1945) |
31 October 1939 | 6 February 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Gaetano Polverelli (1886–1960) |
6 February 1943 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | No |
Minister of National Education | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
90px | Balbino Giuliano (1879–1958) |
14 December 1929 | 20 July 1932 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Francesco Ercole (1884–1945) |
20 July 1932 | 24 January 1935 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
90px | Cesare Maria De Vecchi (1884–1959) |
24 January 1935 | 15 November 1936 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — |
Giuseppe Bottai (1895–1959) |
15 November 1936 | 5 February 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
Giacomo Acerbo (1888–1969) |
5 February 1943 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Yes |
President of the Royal Academy | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
Tommaso Tittoni (1855–1931) |
14 December 1929 | 16 September 1930 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
Guglielmo Marconi (1874–1937) |
19 September 1930 | 20 July 1937 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Died in Office | |
Gabriele D'Annunzio (1863–1938) |
12 November 1937 | 1 March 1938 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Died in Office | |
Luigi Federzoni (1878–1967) |
21 April 1938 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Yes |
President of the Special Court for the Defence of the State | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Term of office | 25 July 1943 Motion | ||
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
Guido Cristini (1895–1979) |
9 December 1928 | 28 November 1932 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | — | |
Antonino Tringali Casanuova (1888–1943) |
28 November 1932 | 25 July 1943 | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | No |
Other posts
- The Secretary of the National Fascist Party, who was also the secretary of the Council.
- The Presidents of the Corporations: Industrialists, Farmers, Industrial Workers, Agriculture Workers.
- The Chief of Staff of the MVSN.
The remaining members of the council were chosen by Mussolini himself, and each held appointments of three-year durations.
See also
References
Further reading
- 2194 Days of War, Cesare Salmaggi & Alfredo Pallavisini (editors), Gallery Press, New York — ISBN 0831788852 (1977)
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Articles with short description
- Use dmy dates from July 2013
- Articles needing translation from foreign-language Wikipedias
- Pages using infobox organization with unsupported parameters
- Articles containing Italian-language text
- Lang and lang-xx using deprecated ISO 639 codes
- Pages with broken file links
- 1928 establishments in Italy
- 1943 disestablishments in Italy
- Italian Fascism