“Gianclaudio Bressa was a politician who brought the concerns of minorities into state institutions. For South Tyrol, for the autonomous regions of Italy and for minority policy in Europe, his commitment was of great importance. He knew the political and legal issues in depth, but above all he understood that minority protection must have an impact in everyday life. FUEN is very grateful to him for his clear stance and his many years of commitment”, says FUEN President Olivia Schubert.
Gianclaudio Bressa was born in Belluno, Italy, in 1956. From 1996 to 2018, he was a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and, for many years, an influential voice in Italian politics. He was elected several times in the Trentino-South Tyrol constituency, first on the lists of the “L’Ulivo” alliance and later for the Partito Democratico. In total, he served 26 years in the Parliament in Rome. He was also several times a member of the Italian government, Chair of the Commission of Six and Deputy Chair of the parliamentary group “L’Ulivo-Partito Democratico”.
For South Tyrol, Gianclaudio Bressa was an important contact and supporter. He knew the specific questions of autonomy and linguistic diversity in Italy in detail and worked to ensure that the concerns of South Tyrol and other autonomous regions were heard in Rome.
Gianclaudio Bressa was also an important partner for FUEN. We received significant support from him, especially in connection with the Minority SafePack Initiative. During his time as a member of the Italian government, his commitment to the project in Italy was of great importance.
In 2022, Gianclaudio Bressa was awarded the FUEN Prize. With this distinction, FUEN honoured his many years of commitment to autochthonous national minorities and language groups. The then FUEN Vice-President Daniel Alfreider, Deputy Governor of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-South Tyrol, emphasised in his laudatory speech: “Through his actions, Gianclaudio Bressa is an example and role model. As a representative of the majority population, he has not only had an open ear, but has shown through active and concrete action over decades how minorities can be supported in their development.”
Gianclaudio Bressa also made a significant contribution to strengthening autonomous regions. “For him, autonomy is a resource, a form of coexistence and also a starting point for building ever better coexistence”, Daniel Alfreider said in 2022.
On that occasion, Gianclaudio Bressa himself referred to Article 6 of the Italian Constitution: “The Republic safeguards linguistic minorities by means of appropriate
measures.” This was what he had done during his time in government, he said at the time, aware that Europe, as Romano Prodi put it, is a union of minorities.
With Gianclaudio Bressa, we lose a committed supporter of Europe’s national minorities, an expert on autonomy and a politician who built bridges. His death is a loss for all those who work for minority protection, linguistic diversity and peaceful coexistence in Europe.
Our thoughts are with his family, his relatives and all his companions during these difficult hours.
We will remember Gianclaudio Bressa with gratitude. Rest in peace.
