Clio Maria Bittoni
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clio Maria Bittoni | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Bittoni in 2014 | |
| Companion of the President of Italy | |
| In role 15 May 2006 – 14 January 2015 | |
| President | Giorgio Napolitano |
| Preceded by | Franca Pilla |
| Succeeded by | Laura Mattarella |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 November 1934 Chiaravalle, Marche, Kingdom of Italy |
| Died | 10 September 2024 (aged 89) Rome, Lazio, Italy |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
|
| Alma mater | University of Naples |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Clio Maria Bittoni (10 November 1934 – 10 September 2024) was an Italian lawyer who specialised in labour law. She was the widow of Giorgio Napolitano, who was the President of Italy from 2006 until 2015.
Clio Maria Bittoni was born in Chiaravalle, Ancona, on 10 November 1934.[1][2][3] Her parents were Diva Campanella, a socialist militant, and Amleto Bittoni.[1][4] She received a degree in law from the University of Naples in 1958.[2]
Bittoni met her future husband in Naples while attending university.[4] Following her graduation, they married in 1959 in a civil ceremony at the Capitolium,[5][1] and settled in Rome.[6] They had two sons:[2][5] Giovanni (born 1961) and Giulio (born 1969).[4]
Bittoni worked as a lawyer for the League of Cooperatives, specializing in labor law and in the application of the fair rent law in agriculture, until 1992 when Giorgio Napolitano was elected as president of the Chamber of Deputies.[1][3] Bittoni left the practice of law "because it seemed inappropriate for me to stay, since my counterparts were the parliamentary committees, the presidency of the Council and other institutional bodies."[1]
First Lady of Italy
Her husband was elected President of Italy in 2006, and Bettoni was seen to be permanently at her husband's side as an essential support.[1] Bettoni was not very attentive to protocol and had often been seen close to and among the citizens.[1] In 2012 she lined up to visit an exhibition of pictures by Vermeer held at the Quirinale, without bodyguards, and upon being recognized she insisted on buying her ticket.[7]
.jpg)
During the ten years of Napolitano's presidency, Bettoni was involved in the defence of women and often wrote letters that were later published in the newspapers.[1]
In June 2007 she was hit by a car while crossing the Via del Quirinale, which caused her a serious fracture.[1]
