Former Italian president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi died Friday at the age of 95.
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As president, a largely ceremonial role in Italy, he was credited with being a restraining influence on Silvio Berlusconi when the controversial media tycoon was prime minister. He was popular and widely respected for his ability, intelligence and impartiality.
Born in Livorno in 1920, Ciampi was Italy’s President from 1999 to 2006.
According to Ansa news agency, Ciampi has been hospitalized for several days at the Pio XI hospital in Rome after his health condition had worsened.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, wrote: “Today, we have lost a great Italian and a great European”.
Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni hailed him as a “great Italian statesman”.
Throughout his life, he was “always close to the Jewish world”, Di Segni wrote, as witnessed by his lifelong friendship with the late Rabbi Elio Toaff, who served as Rome’s chief rabbi for half a century.
“Politically speaking, Ciampi is one of the traitors of Italy”, Matteo Salvini told Sky Italia TV. “He had the disaster that hit 50 million Italians on his conscience, like the others”.
He launched himself with gusto into Italy’s myriad financial and economic problems and his lack of political ties gave his government a ”can-do” image contrasting with the tortuous deal-making that characterised many previous administrations.
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Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso hit back, suggesting Salvini was a “vulture”.
