Franco Bassanini

President, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Italy.

Franco Bassanini, former Italian Cabinet Minister for Public Administration and Regional Affairs (1996-2001), Professor of Constitutional Law at the First University of Rome and member of the High Level Panel of the United Nations Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Task Force, is Chairman of the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti S.p.A., a private financial institution 70% owned by Ministry of Economy and Finance and 30% owned by a number of Banking Foundations. He is President of Astrid Foundation, an Italian think tank established in 2001, gathering together about 250 scientists and experts in the field of European institutions, public administration’s reform and e-government.

In 2001, he has been appointed by the French Government to the Executive Board of the E.N.A. (École Nationale d’Administration) and member of the french Commission pour la Libération de la Croissance française chaired by Jacques Attali. From 2003 to 2005 he was member of the French Comité d’évaluation des strategies ministérielles de réforme led by Francis Mer.

Franco Bassanini was Cabinet Minister for Public Administration and Regional Affairs in the Italian Government led by Romano Prodi (1996-1998), Under-secretary of State to Prime Minister’s Office and responsible for the Cabinet Office in the first Government led by Massimo D’Alema (1998-1999), Cabinet Minister for Public Administration in the second Government led by Massimo D’Alema (1999-2000) and in the second Government led by Giuliano Amato (2000-2001). During those years, he carried out a wide and comprehensive reform program of the Italian administrative system.

Franco Bassanini has been Member of the Italian Parliament from 1979 to 2006 (Member of the House of Deputies from 1979 to 1996, Senator from 1996 to 2006). From 1989 to 1991 he was Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Independent Left and from 1987 to 1990 he was Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Monetary Policy and Budget.

Franco Bassanini has taught at the Universities of Milan, Trento, Sassari, Florence and Rome. He is the author of 14 books and about 240 academic articles on issues of constitutional law, economic law, political science, European law and administrative law. In 1994-95, he directed a wide international research project on financial planning procedures and budget management in western countries, published in 1996.

Recent books :

Una Costituzione per l’Europa. Dalla Convenzione europea alla Conferenza intergovernativa. Franco Bassanini and Giulia Tiberi, ed. , Bologna, Il Mulino, 2003.
L’attuazione del federalismo fiscale. Una proposta, Franco Bassanini and Giorgio Macciotta ed., Bologna, Il Mulino, 2004.
Costituzione. Una riforma sbagliata, Firenze, Passigli, 2004.
Sviluppo o declino. Il ruolo delle istituzioni per la competitività del paese, Luisa Torchia and Franco Bassanini ed. , Firenze, Passigli, 2005.
Per far funzionare il Parlamento, Andrea Manzella and Franco Bassanini ed., Bologna, Il Mulino, 2007.
Semplificare l’Italia, Franco Bassanini and Luca Castelli ed. , Firenze, Passigli, 2008.
Le nuove istituzioni europee. Commento al Trattato di Lisbona, Franco Bassanini and Giulia Castelli ed., Bologna, Il Mulino 2008