Achille Lauro

Italian businessman and politician (1887–1982)

Achille Lauro


Mayor of Naples
In office 9 July 1952 – 6 January 1958
Preceded by	Domenico Moscati
Succeeded by	Nicola Sansanelli
In office 4 February 1961 – 29 November 1961
Preceded by	Nicola Sansanelli
Succeeded by	Vincenzo Maria Palmieri
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
In office 12 June 1958 – 4 June 1968
In office 25 May 1972 – 19 June 1979
Member of the Senate of the Republic
In office 25 June 1953 – 12 June 1958
In office 4 June 1968 – 25 May 1972

Personal details
Born	(1887-06-16)16 June 1887 Piano di Sorrento, Italy
Died	15 November 1982(1982-11-15) (aged 95) Naples, Italy
Political party	PNF (1939–1943) PNM (1946–1954) PMP (1954–1959) PDIUM (1959–1972) MSI (1972–1977) DN (1977–1979)
Spouse	Angelina Lauro
Residence(s)	Naples, Italy
Profession	Politician Entrepreneur
Nickname	"Il Comandante"

Achille Lauro (Italian pronunciation: [aˈkille ˈlauro]; 16 June 1887 – 15 November 1982) was an Italian businessman and politician. He is widely considered one of the main precursors of modern populism in Italian politics. He was nicknamed by his supporters Il Comandante ("The Commander").^[1]

Biography

Born the fifth of six children of the shipowner Gioacchino and of Laura Cafiero, he was on his part the shipowner and founder of the "Flotta Lauro", based in Southern Italy.

During the decades of Italian Fascist dictatorship (1922–1943), he became a member of the National Fascist Party (PNF) and was named National Counselor of the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations, appointed to this position by Galeazzo Ciano, son-in-law of Benito Mussolini himself, who was active in shipping commerce. Also during this period he was named president of the Naples football club SSC Napoli, where he succeeded Giorgio Ascarelli.

After the end of World War II, following an initial participation in the Common Man's Front, he became active in the Italian monarchist movement led by Alfredo Covelli and financially supported the foundation of the Monarchist National Party (PNM), and was for a long time the mayor of Naples.

In 1972, he joined the neo-fascist party Italian Social Movement (MSI).^[2] A square in the coastal town of Sorrento is named after him.

References

^ Achille Lauro: perché il cantante ha il nome dello storico sindaco di Napoli, Fanpage
^ David Broder: How Italy’s Far Right Fell in Love with the United States – An Interview with Gregorio Sorgonà, jacobin.com 29 July 2022.

Achille Della Ragione. Achille Lauro superstar: la vita, l'impero, la leggenda. Napoli, 2003.
Serena Romano. Don Achille, 'o comandante. Milano, 1992.
Pietro Zullino. Il Comandante. Milano, 1976.