Reconciled Europe

Alcide De Gasperi was born in Pieve Tesino (Trentino region, Italy) 130 years ago, on 3 April 1881. It is thus a consequential time to recall the merits of the great statesman, justly considered the founding father of the new democratic State and of the European Community. In fact, we owe the momentous decisions taken in favour of pluralist democracy in Italy, for the development of market and social economy, for the unification of Europe, to him. De Gasperi came from a border region whose political and historical experiences were shaped by different dominions. But most of all, the statesman’s personal experiences of marginalization and persecution by a totalitarian regime, his Catholic values and traditions, along with his Christian-Democratic and federalist beliefs led him to conclude that his Country’s auspicious future depended on the unity and community with its European neighbours. In his capacities as Italian Prime Minister in the post-war period, from 1945 to 1953, De Gasperi managed to bring about the Country’s moral healing and ensure its material reconstruction starting with sound foundations. These included the recovery of democratic tenets and the establishment of fair social and economic systems based on partnerships with European unification agencies which – beyond their true economic and political significance – promoted the reconciliation and the pacification of the Continent’s European nations that had once been enemies. Finally, the international context demanded Italy’s adhesion to the Atlantic Pact in order to safeguard the Country’s recovered freedom. Alcide De Gasperi soon realized that for Italy the promotion of an ever-closer community of free States was indispensable. Italy’s relations with its European neighbours in the Council of Europe, in the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and with Western EU States determined the end of its isolation in foreign affairs, which Italy had been experiencing since the end of the war, due to its role in Fascist rulership. In the negotiations aimed at the establishment of the ECSC, that came into force in July 1952, De Gasperi, both Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, did his utmost to establish a parliamentary assembly that was to be directly elected by citizens. This determination became one of the most important sources of the dynamics of integration, thus granting a political and democratic dimension to the unification efforts from the onset. Once the ECSC had been successfully established, it was necessary to negotiate the creation of a European Defense Community (EDC): it was then that De Gasperi managed to obtain a mandate whereby the parliamentary assembly was called “to explore the conditions for a Federal State or a Federation of States, with the purpose of developing and disseminating the grounds of Community life at political level”. The mandate determined the calling of an “ad hoc assembly” that drew up a draft charter providing for the establishment of a European Political Community. This project, linked to the enforcement of the European Defense Community Treaty, was never accomplished, as the French Parliament failed to ratify the ECD Treaty (1954). Alcide De Gasperi died on August 19 1954, a year after having resigned as Premier ensuing the outcome of the general elections, which resulted in a minority vote to his government coalition. The contribution of this prominent statesman continues to exist to date. After the ideological darkness, after the devastating horrors of the war, De Gasperi managed to bring about national reconciliation, laying the grounds for a democratic, pluralistic development, based on a National Constitution. Not only did he give a concrete shape to Europe’s unification project. With his experience, his vision and his example he also provided an ethical dimension. He wished to bring peace and justice, solidarity and freedom inside the Country of which he was directly responsible, and amongst European populations. As a tribute to Alcide De Gasperi, in recognition of his personal merits in the unification of Europe, in March this year the European Parliament named a major assembly hall in Brussels after him.