Grand Council of Fascism


The Grand Council of Fascism was the main body of Mussolini's Fascist government in Italy. A body which held and applied great power to control the institutions of government, it was created as a body of the National Fascist Party in 1923 and became a state body on 9 December 1928. The council usually met at the Palazzo Venezia, Rome, which was also the seat of head of the Italian government.

Members of the Council

Its members, selected among the party's gerarchi, are below. Their vote on the 25 July 1943 motion to depose Mussolini is also given next to their name, if they voted.

The Head of Government">Prime Minister of Italy">Head of Government and Duce of Fascism">Duce">Duce of Fascism

The ''[Quadrumvirs]''

Parliament">Italian Parliament (1928–1939)">Parliament

President of the Senate">President of the Senate (Italy)">President of the Senate

[President of the [Chamber of Deputies (Italy)|President of the Chamber of Deputies]]

Ministers

Agriculture and Forestry

Corporations

Finance">Italian Minister of Finance">Finance

Foreign Affairs">Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs">Foreign Affairs

Interior">Italian Minister of the Interior">Interior

Justice and Religious Affairs">Italian Minister of Justice">Justice and Religious Affairs

Press and Propaganda

Public Education

President of the Royal Academy">Royal Academy of Italy">President of the Royal Academy

President of the Special Court for the Defence of the State

Other Posts

Essentially, the council held these powers:
The Grand Council meetings were convened by the Prime Minister himself, and all decrees and laws could only be legalized after receiving his approval. In contrast to the Führerprinzip government model in Nazi Germany, the Grand Council retained the power to recommend that the King of Italy remove the Prime Minister from office. As all the former governing institutions had been subordinated to the Fascist party, the Council was the only check on Mussolini's power.

Overthrow of Mussolini

The Allies invaded Sicily in July 1943. Grand Council member Dino Grandi proposed a vote of no confidence in Mussolini as leader of the Council and the party. A vote was held on the night of 24–25 July 1943 and passed with 19 votes for, 8 against and one abstention. Among the 19 votes of no confidence were those of Mussolini's son-in-law Galeazzo Ciano, who had been former minister of foreign affairs, and the influential marshal Emilio De Bono.
The following day King Victor Emmanuel met Mussolini and informed him that General Pietro Badoglio would lead Italy, as Prime Minister. Mussolini was arrested immediately after the meeting.
In September 1943 Mussolini was freed from imprisonment by German commandos and helped to regain power in northern Italy. He had Ciano, De Bono and three others arrested and tried for treason on 8 January 1944 in Verona. They were executed by firing squad three days later.