Description

Altiero Spinelli (1907–1986) was an Italian communist politician, political theorist and European federalist, referred to as one of the founding fathers of the European Union.

A communist and militant anti-fascist in his youth, he spent 10 years imprisoned by the Fascist regime. Having grown disillusioned with Stalinism, he broke with the Italian Communist Party in 1937. Interned in Ventotene during World War II he, along with fellow democratic socialists, drafted the Manifesto for a free and united Europe (most commonly known as the Ventotene Manifesto) in 1941, considered a precursor of the European integration process.

He had a leading role in the foundation of the European federalist movement, and had strong influence on the first few decades of post-World War II European integration. Later, he helped to re-launch the integration process in the 1980s. By the time of his death, he had been a member of the European Commission for six years, a member of the European Parliament for ten years right up until his death. The main building of the European Parliament in Brussels is named after him. The 1987–1988 academic year at the College of Europe and the 2009–2010 academic year of the European College of Parma were named in his honour.

Artist: Luciana De Simoni