Bettino Craxi

Benedetto "Bettino" Craxi (UK: KRAK-see, Italian: [betˈtiːno ˈkraksi], Sicilian: [ˈkɾaʃʃɪ]; 24 February 1934 – 19 January 2000) was an Italian politician and statesman, leader of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) from 1976 to 1993, and the 45th prime minister of Italy from 1983 to 1987. He was the first PSI member to become prime minister and the second from a socialist party to hold the office. He led the fourth-longest government in the Italian Republic and he is considered one of the most influential politicians of the First Italian Republic.

Craxi was involved in investigations conducted by Mani pulite judges in Milan, eventually being convicted for political corruption and illicit financing of the PSI. He always rejected the charges of corruption while admitting to the illegal funding that permitted costly political activity, the PSI being less financially powerful than the two larger parties, Christian Democracy (DC) and the Italian Communist Party (PCI). Craxi's government and party were also supported by future Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a media magnate and personal friend of Craxi.

Craxi maintained strong links with many leaders of the Western European left, including François Mitterrand, Felipe González, Andreas Papandreou, and Mário Soares, and was one of the main representatives of Western European socialism. Craxi's supporters especially praised his foreign policy, which was assertive and often led to confrontations with the United States, on issues such as Palestinian territories, terrorism, and Craxi's close relations with Arab socialist governments.