death_date nationality birth_date term_end alma_mater death_place profession order term_start image name predecessor birth_place president party partner website successor article_title
4 december 1999 italian 10 april 1920 22 april 1992 università cattolica del sacro cuore rome , italy politician teacher president of the chamber of deputies 20 june 1979 nilde iotti.png leonilde iotti pietro ingrao reggio emilia , italy sandro pertini francesco cossiga italian the left -lrb- 1991-1998 -rrb- democrats of the left -lrb- communist 1998-1999 -rrb- party -lrb- 1943-1991 -rrb- democratic party of palmiro togliatti -lsb- http://www.fondazionenildeiotti.it/index.php nilde iotti foundation -rsb- oscar luigi scalfaro nilde iotti

nilde iotti

leonilde iotti , commonly known as nilde iotti -lrb- 10 april 1920 - 4 december 1999 -rrb- was an italian politician of the communist party , the first woman to become president of the italian chamber of deputies for three consecutive legislatures from 1979 to 1992 .
born in reggio emilia , she took part in the resistance movement against the nazi german invaders during world war ii .
after the end of the war and the referendum against the savoy monarchy , in 1946 , she was member of the constituent chamber , and one of the 75 members of the committee entrusted with the drafting of the italian republican constitution -lrb- `` see : birth of the italian republic '' -rrb- .
in april 1948 iotti was elected on the ticket of the italian communist party -lrb- pci -rrb- to the chamber of deputies , of which she was member without interruption until 1999 .
iotti had a long liaison with the national secretary of the pci palmiro togliatti , one which lasted until the latter 's death in 1964 : the relationship was made public in 1948 , on the occasion of the attempt on togliatti 's life , a few days after the italian general election day , and was received coldly by italy 's public opinion , including many italian communists , because togliatti was married to rita montagnana at the time .
in 1979 , iotti became speaker of the lower house of parliament , succeeding to pietro ingrao .
she was popular and respected as a president , and was confirmed in the office for two more legislatures .
in 1987 , she was entrusted by president francesco cossiga with a mandate of potentially forming the government , the closest a pci member , and a woman , got to becoming prime minister of italy ; however , iotti was not able to form a coalition .
in 1992 , the name of nilde iotti was mentioned for the election of the president of the italian republic .
she died in rome in 1999 .
she was an atheist .
