Franca Pilla (or Franca Ciampi; born 19 December 1920) was the first lady of Italy, when Carlo Azeglio Ciampi was president of Italy from 1999 to 2006.
Franca Pilla | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Pilla in 2001 | |
| Companion of the President of Italy | |
| In role 18 May 1999 – 15 May 2006 | |
| President | Carlo Azeglio Ciampi |
| Preceded by | Marianna Scalfaro |
| Succeeded by | Clio Maria Bittoni |
| Spouse of the Prime Minister of Italy | |
| In role 29 April 1993 – 11 May 1994 | |
| Prime Minister | Carlo Azeglio Ciampi |
| Preceded by | Diana Vincenzi |
| Succeeded by | Veronica Lario |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 December 1920 Reggio Emilia, Kingdom of Italy |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence(s) | Rome, Lazio, Italy |
Biography
editPilla was born in Reggio Emilia on 19 December 1920.[1] She was in education when she was eighteen and there she met her future husband who was of the same age. They met at a "dancing tea" which was a respectable way to meet. The tea was organised by mothers, and boys and girls would be allowed to practise dancing with each other.[2]
After the war when her boyfriend had been a soldier and then a resistance fighter, they had a year's engagement and then they married in Bologna when she was 25. They spent over seventy years together.[1] During that time her husband was prime minister, he led Italy's central bank and he was Minister of Finance. In 1999, he became Italy's President until 2006 when he became a senator for life.[3]
Pilla was sometimes less than diplomatic. During a tour of Naples, in the south of Italy, she was quoted as saying that the Italians in the south were better and more intelligent.[1] She was known for her openness, giving the pope advice when they met. She encouraged people to read and to ignore the TV.[1]
Pilla celebrated her 100th birthday in December 2020.[1] Pilla and Ciampi were married until his death on 16 September 2016.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Redazione Politica (2020-12-19). "I 100 anni di Franca Ciampi, la first lady che conquistò l'Italia". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
- ^ "la Repubblica/politica: Franca Ciampi racconta 'Ottant'anni di felicita". www.repubblica.it. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
- ^ a b Emsden, Christopher (2016-09-16). "Italy's Former President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi Dies Aged 95". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
External links
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Italian Wikiquote has quotations related to: Franca Pilla