Moro, Aldo

born Sept. 23, 1916, Maglie, Italy

died May 9, 1978, near or in Rome

law professor, Italian statesman, and leader of the Christian Democrat Party, who served five times as premier of Italy (1963–64, 1964–66, 1966–68, 1974–76, and 1976). In 1978 he was kidnapped and subsequently murdered by left-wing terrorists.

A professor of law at the University of Bari, Moro published several books on legal subjects and served also as president of the Federazione Universitaria Cattolica Italiana (Federation of Italian University Catholics, 1939–42) and the Movimento Laureati Cattolici (Movement of Catholic Graduates, 1945–46). After World War II, he was elected deputy to the Constituent Assembly and to the legislature. He held a succession of cabinet posts, including under secretary of foreign affairs (December 1947–May 1948), minister of justice (1955–57), and minister of public instruction (1957–59).

Moro took office as secretary of the Christian Democrats during a crisis that threatened to split the party (March 1959). Although he was the leader of the Dorothean, or centrist, group of the Christian Democrats, he favoured forming a coalition with the Socialists and helped bring about the resignation of the conservative Christian Democrat prime minister Fernando Tambroni (July 1960).

When he was invited to form his own government in December 1963, Moro assembled a cabinet that included some Socialists, who were participating in the government for the first time in 16 years. He resigned after a defeat on a budget issue (June 26, 1964) but formed a new cabinet much like the old one (July 22). After Amintore Fanfani's resignation in 1965, Moro temporarily became his own foreign minister, renewing Italian pledges to NATO and the United Nations.

Italy's inflation and failing industrial growth prevented Moro from initiating many of the reforms he had envisaged, and this angered the Socialists, who effected his defeat in January 1966. He succeeded, however, in forming a new government on February 23. After the general elections in 1968, Moro, as is customary, resigned (June 5, 1968). He was foreign minister during 1970–72. In November 1974 he became premier with a coalition government, the second party being the Republican, but this government fell on Jan. 7, 1976. Moro was again premier in 1976, from February 12 to April 30, remaining in office as head of a caretaker government until July 9.

In October 1976 he became president of the Christian Democrats and remained a powerful influence in Italian politics even though he held no public office. On March 16, 1978, Moro was kidnapped in Rome by Red Brigades terrorists while on his way to attend a special session of Parliament. After government officials repeatedly refused to release 13 members of the Red Brigades on trial in Turin, Moro was murdered in or near Rome by the terrorist kidnappers.