Antonio Michelozzi
Antonio Michelozzi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 33rd President of Marirana | |
| In office 15th October 1963 – 27th March 1965 | |
| Preceded by | Raimondo Zamparini |
| Succeeded by | Paolo Di Quintino |
| In office 15th October 1953 – 15th October 1958 | |
| Preceded by | Piero Galimberti |
| Succeeded by | Silvano Brazzi |
| Chairman of the National Liberation Council | |
| In office 26th January 1935 – 8th June 1937 | |
| Preceded by | Palmiro Lanza |
| Succeeded by | Edoardo Braghetto |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 24, 1895 Aquinas, Vittico, Marirana |
| Died | March 27, 1965 (aged 69) Moticello, Ritaldi, Marirana |
| Political party | RPR (1939-1941) PDR (1941-1952) PAR (1952-1965) |
| Spouse | Maria Michelozzi |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | University of Aquinas New Haven University |
| Occupation | Politician Businessmen |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Sotirian State of Marirana (1920-1933) Mariranan Resistance (1935-1937) |
| Branch/service | National Sotirian Army (1920-1933) Free Mariranan Army (1935-1937) |
| Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Battles/wars | Great War |
Antonio Michelozzi (24th May 1895 - 27th March 1965, aged 65) was a Mariranan statesman and military officer who served as the leader of the Mariranan resistance from 1935 to 1937 and the President of Marirana on two non-consecutive occasions between 1953 to his death in 1965. Known popularly as "il capo" (the chief) Michelozzi is considered to be the most important political figure of the Sixth Republic of Marirana with his Anti-Revolutionary Party dominating the politics of that era.
Born in 1899, Michelozzi was the son of a rancher. He joined the military in 1920 being promoted through the officer ranks during the 1920's. During the Great War he distinguished himself during the invasion of Roeselle and in 1930 was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general during the invasion of Asteria. In 1933 alongside fellow officers Niccolò Pellegrini and Jordi i Teixidor Michelozzi formed the Free Mariranan Army based in the west of the country which cooperated with Asterian forces against the Castello government. In 1934 his Free Mariranan Army began cooperating with rebel forces in eastern Marirana led by Palmiro Lanza leading to the creation of the National Liberation Council which coordinated resistance forces against the Mariranan government. In 1937 Michelozzi with Asterian support was able to oust Lanza as NLC Chairman and became the de jure leader of pro-Grand Alliance forces in the country.
After the war Michelozzi and the NLC began to distance themselves from the Asterian Civil Administration in Marirana. This led to a rift between Michelozzi and fellow general i Teixidor as well as divisions between him and the Asterians. This led to Michelozzi to be dismissed from the NLC in 1937 and the Federation blocking Michelozzi from running for office, placing him under criminal investigation for war crimes. Michelozzi subsequently supported the creation of Rally for the Republic led by fellow general Pellegrini, who was elected president against i Teixidor in the first post-war election. Michelozzi hoped as Pellegrini's benefactor he would be allowed to run for office; however Pellegrini broke from Michelozzi's influence leading to Michelozzi to start building up his own political machine and eventually forming his own populist party, the Democratic Republican Party. During i Teixidor's presidency Michelozzi soon became associated with the anti-Teixidor opposition with the RPR and PAR cooperating against the i Teixidor government.
Following i Teixidor's ousting in 1952 Michelozzi returned from exile to contest the 1953 elections with a new party, the Anti-Revolutionary Party; getting 57% of the vote he became the first member of the Anti-Revolutionary Party to ascend to office, with his ascent to the presidency becoming the first peaceful transfer of power between political parties ever in Mariranan history. In the 1953 election he ran on a populist manifesto calling for import substitution industrialisation, economic development projects and pro-labour policies.
A forward thinking leader who supported long term development, Michelozzi's administration was marked with massive industrialisation and economic development, with the economic expansion initiated by his government nicknamed the "Mariranan miracle" with the average growth rate levelling at 4-8% per annum. In foreign policy Michelozzi supported forging ties with other Asterian countries whilst calling for the return of the Cittadella from Roeselle. Michelozzi's rule however was also marked by rising corruption, pork barrel projects and increasing inflation.
Due to the prevalence of the Pact of Democracy (patto di democrazia) the early years of the Michelozzi presidencies were marked by political stability. However this stability broke down after Michelozzi publicly broke with his then-successor, Raimondo Zamparini, over Zamparini's more conservative policies, leading to Michelozzi during his second presidency to promote centre-leftist Romano Emanuele Orlando to high office. However by the 1960's the Mariranan miracle had ended leading to increased political polarisation with Michelozzi accused of becoming rigid, inflexible and authoritarian in nature during his second presidency. In 1965 he died of heart failure at the age of 70. The death of Michelozzi would see the split of the PAR in left and right wing factions and the ultimate collapse of the third republic in 1972.
Michelozzi is sometimes considered the "father of modern Marirana" due to his role in the resistance during the great war, pro-development policies, commitment to democracy and introduction of mass politics. Critics accused him of being a demagogue who was politically authoritarian and who oversaw a system of cronyism and patrimonialism. His family continue to dominate the PAR with his son Oliviero having served as President whilst his granddaughter Rosa Michelozzi served as Prime Minister.