Enrico Mizzi

Enrico Mizzi
Bust of Enrico Mizzi in St John's Square, Valletta, sculpted by Vincent Apap in 1964
6th Prime Minister of Malta
In office
26 September 1950 – 20 December 1950
Monarch George VI
Governor-General Gerald Creasy
Preceded by Paul Boffa
Succeeded by Giorgio Borġ Olivier
Personal details
Born 20 September 1885
Valletta, Malta
Died 20 December 1950 (aged 65)
Political party Nationalist Party
Spouse(s)
Bice Vassallo
(m. 1926; d. 1950)
[1]
Children 1

Enrico "Nerik" Mizzi (20 September 1885 – 20 December 1950) was a Maltese politician, leader of the Maltese Nationalist Party and briefly Prime Minister of Malta.

Life

Mizzi was born on 20 September 1885 in Valletta, Malta. He was the son of Fortunato Mizzi and Maria Sofia Folliero de Luna. In 1906 he graduated in literature and science at the Royal University of Malta. He studied law at La Sapienza in Rome and at the university of Urbino, where in 1911 he received a Laurea in law. In 1926 he married Bice Vassallo; they had one son, Fortunato Mizzi.[1]

Politics

Since young Enrico Mizzi followed the steps of his father Fortunato Mizzi, who was a member of the Pro-Italian Maltese community and showed in his political activity strong support toward Italy's Risorgimento and the official use of the Italian language in Malta.


Mizzi was first elected to the Council of Government from Gozo in 1915 as Member of the Comitato Patriottico. While Mizzi was striving to obtain a liberal Constitution he was arrested at his residence on 7 Mayand court-martialled on charges of sedition in 1917 under the Malta Defence Regulations for writings and statements against the British. He was sentenced to a year's imprisonment with hard labour, the loss of civil rights and the withdrawal of lawyer's warrant. The sentence was commuted by Governor Methuen to a "severe censure", while his civil rights and warrant were restored following the cessation of hostilities in 1918.Mizzi founded the Circolo Giovane Mala and was life president of the Societa' Dante Alighieri. In 1919 Enrico Mizzi was elected Secretary of the National Assembly (NA) and was also to serve as delegate to the NA between 1945-47.In 1921 he formed the PDN to contest the elections to Malta's first responsible Government. Mizzi's party formed a coalition government with the UPM in 1924 and he became Minister of Agriculture. Later the PDN merged with the UPM to form the Partito Nazionalista. He was co-Leader with Sir Ugo Mifsud (1926-42).Mizzi was Minister of Industry and Commerce (1924-27), Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Posts (1932), Minister of Education (1932-33). He was member of the legislative assembly (1921-30), (1932-33), (1947-50); and Leader of the Partito Nazionalista (1942-50), and Leader of the Opposition (1947-50).On 30 May 1940 while Mizzi was at the Malta Printing Press, he was arrested and together with another 47 Maltese citizens, was interned for their alleged Italian sympathies and later deported illegally to Uganda in 1942. He was repatriated on 8 March 1945 and resumed his seat in the Council of Government. After the 1950 elections, Mizzi was asked to form a minority government and in September 1950, he became Prime Minister, only to die three months later at his residence in Valletta and was given a state funeral. Gov.mt [2]


Enrico Mizzi founded the ECO di Malta e Gozo, organ of the PDN in 1921, and founded as well as edited MALTA, organ of the Nationalist Party (PN, 1926-40). The Nationalists received what could have been their coup de grâce during the War: their association with the Kingdom of Italy, the wartime enemy, antagonised them with the electorate and their leader, Enrico Mizzi (son of Fortunato) was first interned and then exiled to Uganda during the War along with other supporters of the Party.


Notwithstanding, the Nationalist Party survived and in its first major electoral test, the legislative elections of 1947, it managed to stay ahead of various splinters that had formed from people who did not want to be associated with the main party of Mizzi. In the following 1950 elections, a very damaging split occurred in the ranks of the governing Labour Party resulting in two parties: the Malta Labour Party (MLP) and the Malta Workers' Party (MWP). This helped the Nationalists become the largest party in the Legislative Assembly and form a minority government which, though short-lived, re-established the Nationalist Party as a major political party: Enrico Mizzi was sworn in as Prime Minister (but died after three months in December).

Consequently, after the 1950 elections Mizzi was appointed Prime Minister of Malta in a "hung parliament". He died in Valletta three months later and had a 'State Funeral'.[1] To date, he is the only Maltese prime minister to have died in office.

Legacy

Mizzi is remembered by the Maltese as a contributing force in the Maltese national and European identity.

"I hope that when I pass from this life to become a memory to posterity I hope no one will slander me... for party reasons.... As I had been declared by the Nationalist Party some thirty years ago, I am still, thank God, before the Party, before the people, and above all else before my own conscience 'senza macchia e senza paura'.”

— Enrico Mizzi[3]

A foundation, to promote and better appreciate his life and works and that of his father Fortunato, was founded in 2010.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Dr Enrico Mizzi (1950–1950)". Prime Ministers of Malta. Government of Malta. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  2. ↑ Enrico Mizzi's political life
  3. ↑ Legislative Assembly Debates, Sitting No 8, 17 March 1949, p.397.
  4. ↑ http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101126/local/fortunato-and-enrico-mizzi-foundation-formed

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