GIOVANNI GRONCHI was born in Pontedera (Pisa) on 10 September 1887 and died in Rome on 17 October 1978. An Arts graduate from the Normale University, Pisa, he taught in various parts of Italy and was a member of Fr Romolo Murri's Christian Movement. After the first world war, during which he fought as a volunteer, he was one of the founders of Fr Luigi Sturzo's Partito Popolare Italiano (People's Party) in 1919. He was elected Deputy for Pisa in the 1919 and 1921 general elections (25th and 26th Parliaments). Meanwhile he continued his work as an active trade unionist, becoming Secretary of the Christian Workers' Confederation (Confederazione dei Lavoratori Cristiani). When Luigi Sturzo resigned as Secretary of the People's Party in 1924, together with Giuseppe Spataro and Giulio Rodiṇ he ran the party in this difficult period of its history. After being re-elected as Deputy in 1924 he served in the Opposition, taking part in the "Aventine secession" and retired from Parliament. During the Resistance he was a member of the CLN (National Liberation Committee) and took part in founding the Christian Democratic Party. In the early De Gasperi governments he was Minister for Industry. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly and became the leader of the Christian Democrat Parliamentary group. Re-elected Deputy on 18 April 1948, he was elected Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies on the following 8 May, and remained in office until he was elected President of the Republic on 29 April 1955. He was sworn in and delivered his Address to Parliament on 11 May 1955. He became a Senator on 11 May 1962 as a member of the Mixed group.