Colombo, Emilio, 1920-, Italian political leader. He was elected a member of the constituent assembly in 1946 and a parliamentary deputy for the Christian Democratic party in 1948. During a lengthy tenure in associate cabinet posts, he helped initiate some of Italy's basic postwar reforms, including land redistribution, nationalization of electrical utilities, and a program of government aid for the development of the impoverished south. He is credited with having written much of the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community (Common Market) in 1958. After serving as minister of the treasury from 1963 to 1970, he became premier in Aug., 1970. His coalition government fell in Jan., 1972, but subsequently he has held additional cabinet posts, including the ministries of finance, of the treasury, of foreign affairs, and of the budget and economic planning. From 1977 to 1979 Colombo was president of the European Parliament.

Emilio Colombo (born April 11 1920) is an Italian diplomat and politician. In addition to having held top positions in Italian governments, he was also active in European politics.

Biography

Born in Potenza, Basilicata, Colombo entered politics as a member of the Christian Democratic Party. Having held several cabinet posts, he was Prime Minister of Italy from 1970 until his resignation in 1972. Later he became President of the European Parliament (occupying that office from 1977 until 1979) and Foreign Minister of Italy (from 1980 until 1983, and again from 1992 until 1993). A decade after he last held that position, President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi bestowed Italy's highest political honour on him, by nominating him Senator for life.

Shortly after this, in November 2003, Colombo made headlines once again. To widespread astonishment, he admitted to having used cocaine (for "therapeutic purposes") over a 12- to 18-month period, and to being a homosexual.

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