Craxi, Bettino (1934 - 2000)

Craxi, Bettino (1934 - 2000)

The socialist Italian Prime Minister who presided over the European Council meeting in Milan in June 1985.

For the first time in the history of the European Council he permitted a majority vote in favour of having an intergovernmental conference to prepare what became the Single European Act.  

He was later sentenced to several years in prison for corruption, but remained in exile in Tunisia where he had fled to avoid the court action.  

Links

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/610659.stm