Diego Novelli


Diego Novelli is an Italian politician, former Mayor of Turin.

Political career

A member of the city council of Turin since 1960, Novelli was elected Mayor of Turin in 1975 with the support of communists and socialists, and remained in office for 10 years, during the difficult Years of Lead.
He was a Member of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1987, when he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies. He remained a member until 2001.
With the Svolta della Bolognina and the end of the Italian Communist Party, he co-founded with Leoluca Orlando the left-wing party The Network and tried to be re-elected Mayor of Turin in 1993, supported by The Network and the Communist Refoundation Party. Although he was ahead on the first round, he was defeated on the second ballot by the centre-left candidate Valentino Castellani.
In 2009 he stood in the European elections with Left Ecology and Freedom, but failed to be elected.
In 2011 he was elected president of the provincial committee of ANPI.