Achille Lauro

Achille Lauro [a ː ˌ kil ɛlauɾo ] ( born June 16, 1887 in Piano di Sorrento, † November 15, 1982 in Naples) was an Italian entrepreneur and politician of the fascists, the monarchist -oriented rights as well as the neo-fascists.

He was the fifth of six children of the shipowner Gioacchino Lauro and his wife Laura Cafiero. He was also the shipowner and founded in 1923 the Flotta Lauro, which was one of the most powerful Italian fleets of all time and one of the most important companies in southern Italy. In addition, he created a veritable financial empire. As a decisive factor for its success is often stated that Lauro took his workers in the profits. But at least as important are also likely its practices of personal enrichment through corruption, property speculation and mafia involvement have been.

Lauro made ​​political career both during the time of fascism as well as in post-war Italy. For his fascist activities 1933-1943 he was imprisoned by the Allies for 22 months. Then he approached the monarchist movement of Alfredo Covelli and later supported, especially in financial terms, the establishment of the Partito Nazionale Monarchico. He was from 1952 to 1958 and again in 1961 the mayor of Naples and a typical populist who practiced a pronounced Panem et Circensis policy in the population very popular, which was reflected in the fact that he in the elections in 1952 and 1956, the highest ever number of votes in the city achieved. At the same time he was also very controversial because of its practices and policy decisions.

Because of his dubious machinations, he was finally deposed as mayor by decree of the Roman central government and replaced by a provisional sindaco. He was then for the monarchists to 1968 a member of the Chamber of Deputies and later to 1972 Senator. After the merger, the monarchists with the neo-fascist MSI, he moved again as his representative in the Chamber of Deputies, where he was politically active until 1979.

Towards the end of his long life he had to decline and economic ruin his fleet experience.