Sergio Mattarella, president of Italy, last of the democrats.

Allan Kaval   Le Monde8 June 2025
The discreet 83 year old never intended to enter politics, but his brother's assassination by the Mafia pushed him into public service.

A republican steeped in Christian values and a staunch defender of the Constitution, Mattarella has served as president of the Italian Republic since 2015, commanding a legitimacy that even the right-wing government doesn't contest.