FRANCESCO COSSIGA was born in Sassari on 26 July 1928. He graduated in Law and was Professor of Constitutional Law at Sassari University. He was an active member of Catholic Action and FUCI, and in 1945 joined the Christian Democratic Party, becoming Provincial Secretary from 1956 to 1958 and leader of the DC Group on Sassari City Council until 1966. In 1958 he became a member of the National Council of the Party and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the Cagliari constituency in 1958 and 1963. During those years he was a member of the Chamber of Deputies' Constitutional Affairs Committee and the Committee on the Rules of Procedure. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Parliamentary Group, and Undersecretary for Defence in the 3rd Moro government (1966) remaining in the same post in the 2nd Leone government and the 1st Rumor government. He was re-elected in the 5th and 6th Parliaments, and was Minister-without-portfolio for the organization of the Civil Service in the 4th Moro government (1974). On being re-elected to the Chamber on 20 June 1976, he served as Minister for Home Affairs in the 2nd and 4th Andreotti governments, but resigned in May 1978 following the murder of Aldo Moro. He was re-elected Deputy for the sixth time on 3 June 1979, and was the Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee. On 4 August 1979 he headed a coalition government of the DC, PSDI and PLI Parties, and from 4 April 1980 to 18 October 1980 he headed a second DC, PSI and PRI coalition government. In 1983, as Senator for the Tempio-Orieri constituency, he was elected Speaker of the Senate. On 24 June 1985, he was elected President of the Republic at the first ballot. He was sworn in and delivered his Address to Parliament on 3 July 1985. He left office on 28 April 1992 and was made a Life Senator.