Mario Segni

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Mario Segni

| image = Mariotto Segni 1994.jpg

| order = State Secretary of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies

| term_start = 4 August 1986

| term_end = 28 July 1987

| primeminister = Bettino Craxi
Amintore Fanfani

| predecessor = Giuseppe Zurlo

| successor = Francesco Cimino

| order2 = Member of the Chamber of Deputies

| term_start2 = 5 July 1976

| term_end2 = 8 May 1996

| constituency2 = Sardinia

| order3 = Member of the European Parliament

| term_start3 = 19 July 1994

| term_end3 = 19 July 2004

| constituency3 = Islands (1994–1999)
North-West (1999–2004)

| birth_name = Mariotto Segni

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1939|5|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sassari, Italy

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Italian

| party = DC (1976–1993)
AD (1993)
PS (1993–2003)
PSS (2003–2006)

| otherparty = PpI (1994)
EPP (1994–1995)
PS–AN (1999)
UEN (1999–2004)

| alma_mater = University of Sassari

| profession = Politician, Professor

| parents = Antonio Segni
Laura Carta Camprino

| native_name_lang = it

}}

Mariotto Segni (born 16 May 1939) is a retired Italian politician and professor of civil law. He founded several parties, which focused on fighting for electoral reform through referendums. He is the son of the politician Antonio Segni, one-time president of Italy.

Biography

Segni was born May 16, 1939, in Sassari, Sardinia.{{Cite web|title=Mariotto Giovanni Battista Segni / Deputati / Camera dei deputati - Portale storico|url=https://storia.camera.it/deputato/mariotto-giovanni-battista-segni-19390516|access-date=2020-07-22|website=storia.camera.it}} He was born to Antonio Segni, himself a prominent politician, and Laura Carta Caprino, who would have a total of four children.{{Cite web|title=Celestino Segni|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Celestino-Segni/6000000068523254930|access-date=2020-07-27|website=geni_family_tree|date=6 October 2017 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Laura Carta Caprino Foto e immagini stock - Getty Images|url=https://www.gettyimages.it/immagine/laura-carta-caprino?mediatype=photography&phrase=laura%20carta%20caprino&sort=mostpopular|access-date=2020-07-27|website=www.gettyimages.it}} Prior to his political career Segni studied law at the University of Sassari, following in the footsteps of his father.{{Cite book|last1=Gilbert|first1=Mark|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7Kg_LDseivUC&q=%22Segni%22|title=The A to Z of Modern Italy|last2=Nilsson|first2=Robert K.|date=2010-04-20|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-1-4616-7202-9|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Ginsborg|first=Paul|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cVcBDgAAQBAJ&q=%22Mario+Segni%22&pg=PA286|title=Italy and Its Discontents: Family, Civil Society, State|date=September 27, 2016|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan US|isbn=978-1-137-11741-0|language=en|orig-year=2002}}

= Academic career =

Following his graduation, Segni moved to Padau where he worked under Luigi Carraro, a four-time Christian Democrat Senator, and taught at university.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lsdmagazine.com/mario-segni-e-la-vera-storia-sulla-sua-rivoluzione-mancata/7091/|title=LSDmagazine – Mario Segni e la vera storia sulla sua "rivoluzione mancata"|website=www.lsdmagazine.com|date=2 April 2011 |language=it-IT|access-date=2019-03-08}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.senato.it/leg/08/BGT/Schede/Attsen/00007231.htm|title=senato.it - Scheda di attività di Luigi CARRARO - VIII Legislatura|website=www.senato.it|access-date=2019-03-07}} In 1975 he became a professor of civil law at the University of Sassari.{{Cite web|title=Ségni, Mariotto nell'Enciclopedia Treccani|url=http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/mariotto-segni/|access-date=2019-03-07|website=www.treccani.it|language=it-IT}} He was the chair of the Faculty of Law at the University of Sassari until his retirement in 2011.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

= Christian Democrats =

A long-time member of Christian Democracy, like his father, he was first elected Regional Councillor in 1967. Shortly after gaining his position at the University of Sassari, Segni ran for the national parliament in 1976.{{Cite web|url=https://elezionistorico.interno.gov.it/candidati.php?tpel=C&dtel=20/06/1976&tpa=I&tpe=I&lev0=0&levsut0=0&lev1=30&levsut1=1&ne1=30&es0=S&es1=S&ms=S&ne=30&nlg=9&ts=C&ccp=1|title=Dipartimento per gli Affari Interni e Territoriali|website=elezionistorico.interno.gov.it|access-date=2019-03-07}} He came second behind Francesco Cossiga with 85,736 votes but still won a seat.{{Cite web|title=La Camera dei Deputati|url=http://legislature.camera.it/chiosco.asp?content=deputati/legislatureprecedenti/Leg07/framedeputato.asp?Deputato=d16760|access-date=2020-07-22|website=legislature.camera.it|publisher=Italian Parliament}} He continued to hold this office until 1996.{{Cite web|title=La Camera dei Deputati|url=http://legislature.camera.it/chiosco.asp?content=deputati/legislatureprecedenti/Leg08/framedeputato.asp?Deputato=d16760|access-date=2020-07-22|website=legislature.camera.it|publisher=Italian Parliament}}{{Cite web|title=La Camera dei Deputati|url=http://legislature.camera.it/chiosco.asp?content=deputati/legislatureprecedenti/Leg09/framedeputato.asp?Deputato=d16760|access-date=2020-07-22|website=legislature.camera.it|publisher=Italian Parliament}}{{Cite web|title=La Camera dei Deputati|url=http://legislature.camera.it/chiosco.asp?content=deputati/legislatureprecedenti/Leg10/framedeputato.asp?Deputato=d16760|access-date=2020-07-22|website=legislature.camera.it|publisher=Italian Parliament}}{{Cite web|title=La Camera dei Deputati|url=http://legislature.camera.it/chiosco.asp?content=deputati/legislatureprecedenti/Leg11/framedeputato.asp?Deputato=d16760|access-date=2020-07-22|website=legislature.camera.it|publisher=Italian Parliament}} He served as State Secretary of the Ministry Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies in the second Craxi government and in the sixth Fanfani government.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinquantamila.it/storyTellerThread.php?threadId=SEGNI%20Mario|title=Biography of Mario Segni|last=Dell'Arti|first=Giorgio|date=August 26, 2014|website=www.cinquantamila.it}} He was also chairman of the Control Committee for Information and Security Services and for State Secrecy from 1987 to 1991.

= Election Reform and Starting a Party =

Riding the momentum from the 1991 Italian electoral law referendum, which he supported, Segni contributed to the establishment of the Democratic Alliance in 1992.{{Cite journal|last1=Bull|first1=Martin|last2=Rhodes|first2=Martin|date=December 3, 2007|orig-year=1997|title=Between crisis and transition: Italian politics in the 1990s|journal=West European Politics|language=en|volume=20|issue=1|pages=1–13|doi=10.1080/01402389708425172|issn=0140-2382|url=https://usir.salford.ac.uk/id/eprint/18789/1/01402389708425172.pdf }} He also founded the Populars for Reform that same year, with the goal of changing the electoral system from proportional representation to a first-past-the-post system.{{Cite web|last=Mastrorillo|first=Riccardo|date=2020-07-09|title=Vittorio Sgarbi, dalle elezioni 1992 alla figuraccia in Aula: che errore non preferirgli Jovanotti|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2020/07/09/vittorio-sgarbi-dalle-elezioni-1992-alla-figuraccia-in-aula-che-errore-non-preferirgli-jovanotti/5859444/|access-date=2020-07-21|website=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it-IT}} In 1993, these reforms led to the Mattarellum law which he said would bring stability to Italy by making it more similar to Anglo-Saxon democracies.{{Cite web|last=Mont D'Arpizio|first=Daniele|date=November 12, 2019|title=Mario Segni, il padre della stagione referendaria: "Memoria dell'Italia è corta"|url=http://ilbolive.unipd.it/it/news/mario-segni-padre-stagione-referendaria-memoria|access-date=2020-07-21|website=Il Bo Live UniPD|language=it}}

In 1993, Segni broke from the Christian Democrats, who were suffering from tangentopoli, while he served in the XI legislature. In March 1994, he founded the Segni Pact from the remains of the previous Democratic Alliance and Populars for Reform. Segni had hoped to capitalize on the political vacuum left by the now tainted Christian Democrats.{{Cite journal|last1=Ruzza|first1=Carlo|last2=Fella|first2=Stefano|date=April 28, 2011|title=Populism and the Italian right|journal=Acta Politica|language=en|volume=46|issue=2|pages=158–179|doi=10.1057/ap.2011.5|s2cid=144233279|issn=0001-6810}}

File:Patto Segni logo (1994).png

Segni was a candidate for Prime Minister for the centrist alliance Pact for Italy (composed of Mino Martinazzoli's Italian People's Party and the Segni Pact) in 1994, and a Member of the European Parliament(MEP) from 1994 to 1995.{{Cite web|title=4th parliamentary term {{!}} Mariotto SEGNI {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/2027/MARIOTTO_SEGNI/history/4|access-date=2020-07-22|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|date=16 May 1939 |language=en}} The party as a whole, however, did not have much initial success and joined{{who|Segni or the party?|date=March 2021}} the Anti-Berlusconi coalition during the first Berlusconi government.{{Cite web|url=http://legislature.camera.it/chiosco.asp?cp=1&position=XII%20Legislatura%20/%20I%20Deputati&content=deputati/legislatureprecedenti/Leg12/framedeputato.asp?Deputato=1d16760|title=La Camera dei Deputati|website=legislature.camera.it|publisher=Italian Parliament|access-date=2020-02-21}} During his first tenure in the European Parliament he joined the European People's Party along with several other members of the Segni Pact, Danilo Poggiolini, Vincenzo Viola, and Livio Filippi. He was a part of the European Parliament's delegation to the Arab Maghreb Union. His party joined with the Italian Renewal List while he began refocusing on teaching.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

In 1999, Mario Segni returned to the domestic political scene, with the aim of attempting to abolish proportional quotas via referendums. Despite his failure to do so, in the 1999 European election, the Sengi Pact co-federated with the National Alliance, creating the Segni Pact – National Alliance list, a coalition also known as the 'elephant' headed by Gianfranco Fini{{cite web|title=Mariotto SEGNI|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/archive/alphaOrder/view.do?language=EN&id=2027|work=Your MEPs|publisher=European Parliament|access-date=14 February 2011}}{{Cite book|last1=Gilbert|first1=Mark|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K4jlaPUP1MAC&pg=PA93|title=Italian Politics: The Faltering Transition|last2=Pasquino|first2=Gianfranco|date=2000|publisher=Berghahn Books|isbn=978-1-57181-840-9|language=en}} He won a second term as an MEP and voted alongside the Union for Europe of the Nations.{{Cite web|title=5th parliamentary term {{!}} Mariotto SEGNI {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/2027/MARIOTTO_SEGNI/history/5|access-date=2020-07-22|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|date=16 May 1939 |language=en}} During this tenure, he served on the Committee of Constitutional Affairs, the delegation to MERCOSUR, and acted as vice-chair for the delegation to Central America and Mexico.{{Cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/2027/MARIOTTO_SEGNI/history/5|title=5th parliamentary term {{!}} Mariotto SEGNI {{!}} MEPs {{!}} European Parliament|website=www.europarl.europa.eu|date=16 May 1939 |language=en|access-date=2019-03-08}}

In 2003 he rebranded the Segni Pact, combining forces with Carlo Scognamiglio and former Segni Pact member's the Sardinian Reformers, naming it the Pact of Liberal Democrats. It continued to criticize the Berlusconi camp. This culminated in his siding with the 'no' vote on the 2006 Constitutional Referendum.

During the 2006 election for the Presidency of the Italian Senate, Segni supported Franco Marini over former Christian Democrat head Giulio Andreotti, citing a respect for the old regime but a desire to see more progress in Italian politics and a fear of a return to the corruption prior to the Mani Pulite investigation.{{Cite web|last=Segni|first=Mario|date=May 2, 2006|title=Newsletter 97|url=http://www.mariosegni.it/|access-date=2020-07-30|publisher=Mariosegni.it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111115225206/http://www.mariosegni.it/|archive-date=15 November 2011}}

In early 2007 he became Coordinator of the Promoting Committee of the Electoral Referendum, led by Giovanni Guzzetta. This placed Segni alongside politicians such as Gianni Alemanno, Angelino Alfano, Mercedes Bresso, Riccardo Illy, Renato Brunetta, Antonio Martino, Giovanna Melandri, Arturo Parisi, Daniele Capezzone, Stefania Prestigiacomo, Gaetano Quagliariello, and Giorgio Tonini in the fight for a majority based electoral system. On 24 July 2007, Segni handed over 800,000 signatures to the Court of Cassation for the presentation of the Electoral Referendum. The 2009 Italian electoral law referendum, took place in June 2009, but did not reach the required quorum.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lastampa.it/redazione/cmsSezioni/politica/200906articoli/44833girata.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616054635/http://www.lastampa.it/redazione/cmsSezioni/politica/200906articoli/44833girata.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-06-16|title=Referendum, quorum non raggiunto Maroni rilancia: "Cambierò le regole" - LASTAMPA.it|date=2011-06-16|access-date=2019-03-08}}

= Retirement =

After Segni left politics he continued to provide political commentary as a well known figure.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/2016/12/02/segni-referendum_n_13374324.html|title=Mariotto Segni ad HuffPost: "Con il mio referendum assediavamo il castello, qui è il Palazzo che occupa. Ma voterò Sì per evitare gli effetti del No"|date=2016-12-02|website=L’Huffington Post|language=it|access-date=2019-03-14}}{{Cite web|last=Veltroni|first=Walter|date=2019-10-26|title=Mario Segni: "A cena con Berlusconi cercai di convincerlo a non entrare in politica"|url=https://www.corriere.it/cronache/19_ottobre_26/a-cena-berlusconicercai-convincerloa-non-entrare-politica-1c942d64-f82f-11e9-a2fc-5cf2f6fbb505.shtml|access-date=2020-07-21|website=Corriere della Sera|language=it}}{{Cite web|last=Radicale|first=Radio|date=2020-01-13|title=L'ammissibilità del referendum Calderoli sulla legge elettorale: intervista a Mario Segni|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/595281/lammissibilita-del-referendum-calderoli-sulla-legge-elettorale-intervista-a-mario|access-date=2020-07-21|website=Radio Radicale|language=it}} In 2018, he was interviewed on the developments in Italian politics and provided his opinion on the developments regarding the Northern League and the 5 Star Movement.{{cite web |title=Mario Segni: "Al Paese serve un governo, nessuno si tiri indietro" |url=http://www.lanuovasardegna.it/regione/2018/03/14/news/al-paese-serve-un-governo-nessuno-si-tiri-indietro-1.16594124?refresh_ce |website=La Nuova Sardegna |access-date=11 March 2021 |language=it-IT |date=15 March 2018}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.lanuovasardegna.it/regione/2018/03/14/news/al-paese-serve-un-governo-nessuno-si-tiri-indietro-1.16594124|title=Mario Segni: "Al Paese serve un governo, nessuno si tiri indietro" - Regione|last=Pirina|first=Alessandro|date=2018-03-14|website=la Nuova Sardegna|language=it|access-date=2019-03-11}} He also gave his view on the push to return to a proportional representation system in Italy, stating that "the memory of Italy is short."

Mario Segni is also the current president of the Antonio Segni Foundation, which seeks to put his father's work online.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ansa.it/sardegna/notizie/2018/03/14/archivio-antonio-segni-e-ora-digitale_7c1846e4-647c-4997-bbe9-e498f3a0d435.html|title=Archivio Antonio Segni è ora digitale - Sardegna|date=2018-03-14|website=ANSA.it|language=it|access-date=2019-03-14}}

Legacy

While Segni's party was not electorally successful, he is still known for his work through referendums.{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkiesta.it/it/article/2016/12/10/mario-segni-con-il-ritorno-al-proporzionale-litalia-sarebbe-condannata/32674/|title=Mario Segni: "Con il ritorno al proporzionale l'Italia sarebbe condannata all'agonia"|date=2016-12-10|website=Linkiesta|language=it|access-date=2019-03-14}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.corriere.it/sette/17_dicembre_28/mario-segni-be3da2d0-eb0c-11e7-aee4-bc31285a7c38.shtml|title=Mario Segni: "Ma le pare realistico che Berlusconi accettasse di non essere il capo?"|last=Vigna|first=Edoardo|date=2017-12-28|website=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=2019-03-11}}{{Cite web|last=Mameli|first=Giacomo|date=2019-12-19|title=Mario Segni: mio padre, un grande riformista|url=https://www.lanuovasardegna.it/tempo-libero/2019/12/18/news/mario-segni-mio-padre-un-grande-riformista-1.38231430|access-date=2020-07-21|website=La Nuova Sardegna|language=it-IT}} His work targeting the electoral system through referendums have been described as "contributing to the collapse of the established political system" of the first republic.{{Cite journal|last=Passarelli|first=Gianluca|date=2014|title=Electoral Law(s) and Elections in the Italian Second Republic. The 2013 Landmark (?)|url=http://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1424/76412|journal=Polis|volume=28|issue=1|pages=107–124|doi=10.1424/76412|issn=1120-9488}} While he was not entirely electorally successful, he is considered to have had success via the referendum process and is characterized as having been one of the most powerful politicians of Italy at his peak.

He has criticized prominent politicians in Italy such as Berlusconi and movements within the country.

Culture

= Filmography =

Mario Segni appeared in the documentary television series La notte della Repubblica January 3, 1990.{{Citation|title=Episode #1.4|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4494780/|access-date=2019-03-12}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm9091352/|title=Mario Segni|website=IMDb|access-date=2019-03-12}}
In 1993 Segni appeared on Maurizio Costanzo's talk show.{{Citation|title=Maurizio Costanzo Show (TV Series 1982–2009) - IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4723216/fullcredits|access-date=2019-03-12}}
In 2005 the TV series 1992 directed by Giuseppe Gagliardi included Massimo Wertmüller in the role of Mario Segni.{{Citation|title=1992 (TV Series 2015– ) - IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2983290/fullcredits|access-date=2019-03-08}}

= Literature =

== Written on him ==

Primo Di Nicola wrote a biography of Mario Segni in 1992.{{Cite book|title=Mario Segni|last=Di Nicola|first=Primo|date=1992|publisher=Sperling & Kupfer|isbn=9788820014599|location=Milano|language=it|oclc=32023154}}
Mark Gilbert included him in his book The A to Z of Modern Italy {{ISBN|978-1-4616-7202-9}}
Paul Ginsborg included him in his book Italy and Its Discontents: Family, Civil Society, State

== Written by him ==

Mario Segni published La Rivoluzione Interrotta in 1994, this book discussed his attempted 'revolution' within Italian politics.{{Cite book|title=La rivoluzione interrotta|first=Mario|last=Segni|date=1994|publisher=Rizzoli|isbn=8817843946|oclc=468365132}}
In 1999 Mario Segni wrote Il referendum che cambierà l'Italia.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VtZDAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Mario+Segni%22+-wikipedia|title=Il referendum che cambierà l'Italia|last1=Segni|first1=Mario|last2=Vanni|first2=Pierandrea|date=1999|publisher=Loggia de' Lanzi|isbn=9788881051670|language=it}}
In 2001 Mario Segni wrote Allargamento e coesione: un equilibrio difficile in the journal "Rivista giuridica del Mezzogiorno"{{Cite journal|last=Segni|first=Mario|date=2001|title=Allargamento e coesione: un equilibrio difficile|url=https://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1444/4358|journal=Rivista giuridica del Mezzogiorno|issue=3/2001|doi=10.1444/4358|issn=1120-9542}}
in 2010 Mario Segni wrote Niente di personale. Solo cambiare l'Italia.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8NQzAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Mario+Segni%22+-wikipedia|title=Niente di personale. Solo cambiare l'Italia|last=Segni|first=Mario|date=2010|publisher=Rubbettino|isbn=9788849825947|language=it}}

External links

[https://www.radioradicale.it/soggetti/6930/mariotto-segni A Collection of Interviews]
[https://storia.camera.it/deputato/mariotto-giovanni-battista-segni-19390516 Italian Parliament Page]
[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/2027/MARIOTTO_SEGNI/history/5 European Parliament Page]