Mr. Pier Ferdinado Casini, IPU President 2005-2008

Mr. Pier Ferdinando CASINI, former President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, was elected as President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union for a three-year mandate on 19 October 2005, at the 177th session of the Governing Council of the IPU in Geneva. When his term came to an end on 15 October 2008, the Governing Council conferred on him the title of the Honorary President of the IPU.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Born in Bologna on 3 December 1955.
Law Degree.
Has three daughters: Maria Carolina, Benedetta and Caterina.

Political activities

Town Councillor in Bologna since 1980. Since 1983, Member of the Italian Parliament. Former Chairman of the Christian Democratic Centre. On 31 May 2001, Mr. Casini was elected President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies - the third highest-ranking office-holder of the Italian State).

As Deputy, was also a long-standing member of the Committee on Foreign and Community Affairs and of the Defence Committee. Also served as Deputy Chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry on Terrorism in Italy.

European Parliament

Member of the European Parliament from 1994 to 1999 (IV legislature) and 1999 to 2001 (V Legislature).

Member of the European People's Party in the European Parliament; also served in the Committee on External Economic Relations (IV legislature) and in the Committee on Development and Cooperation (V legislature).

International activities

Over and above participation in a very large number of international meetings and numerous official visits abroad, in his capacity as President of the Chamber of Deputies has promoted several international initiatives which took place on the premises of the Chamber, in Rome, including:

Italy-Africa Parliamentary Day, was attended by the Speakers of African Parliaments (22 and 23 May 2002);
International Conference on Women in Afghanistan. A Commitment for Reconstruction and Development (28 November 2002);
Parliamentary Day for the Ambassadors of Latin American Countries (10 October 2003);
Parliamentary Day for the Ambassadors of the Arab Countries (22 December 2003);
Parliamentary Forum on African Development – European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA) (29 and 30 January 2004);
World Conference of Women Parliamentarians for the protection of children and young persons (17 and 18 October 2004).

EU-related events included:

Conference "For the Future of Europe" (30 November 2003);
Conference "A possible Europe" (28 March 2003);
Second Conference of European Students (3 July 2003).

Orders of merit

Awarded the orders of merit of the following countries: Austria, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Norway, Peru, Poland, San Marino, Spain.

Publications

Include inter alia the following essays:

Parlamenti e globalizzazione, in Politica internazionale, 2001, vol. 29, fasc. 1;
America latina: economia e politica, un binomio difficile: Italia e Messico, in Politica internazionale, 2001, vol. 29, fasc. 5;
Quale costituzione per l’Europa: una federazione di Stati-nazione, in FL, bimestrale della Fondazione Liberal, 2002, vol. 3;
L’Europa dei cittadini, in La cittadinanza europea, 2003, vol. 2;
Hanno scordato De Gasperi, in Liberal, 1998, vol. 1;
Il maggioritario in Italia: stabilità, efficienza e garanzie, in Dike, 2002, n. 5;
La riforma del Parlamento nella evoluzione costituzionale italiana, in Quaderno dell’Associazione per gli studi e le ricerche parlamentari, 2003;
Il problema del Mezzogiorno, oggi, in Rivista giuridica del Mezzogiorno, 2002, vol. 16;
Adeguare le istituzioni al sistema maggioritario, in Rassegna parlamentare, 2003, vol. 45.