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Lina Merlin

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Italian politician (1887–1979)
Lina Merlin
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
12 June 1958 – 15 May 1963
ConstituencyVerona
Member of the Senate of the Republic
In office
8 May 1948 – 11 June 1958
ConstituencyVeneto
Member of the Constituent Assembly
In office
25 June 1946 – 31 January 1948
ConstituencyItaly at-large
Personal details
BornAngelina Merlin
(1887-10-15)15 October 1887
Pozzonovo, Kingdom of Italy
Died16 August 1979(1979-08-16) (aged 91)
Padua, Italy
Political partyItalian Socialist Party
Spouse Dante Gallani ​ ​(m. 1933; died 1936)​

Angelina "Lina" Merlin (15 October 1887 – 16 August 1979) was an Italian politician, perhaps best known for authoring and promoting the so-called "Merlin law" which abolished state-regulated prostitution in Italy. She was also an activist and educator, and took part in the Italian resistance movement.

The daughter of Giustina Poli, a teacher, and Fruttuoso Merlin, secretary for the municipality, she was born in Pozzonovo, and grew up in Chioggia. In 1907, she received her diploma, qualifying her to teach elementary school. In 1914, she received her qualification to teach French in middle school, but preferred to continue to teach elementary school. In March 1926, because she refused to take an oath of loyalty to Italy's Fascist government, she was removed from her teaching position. In November of that year, she was sentenced to five years in prison; her sentence was reduced, and she returned to Padua in November 1929. She moved to Milan in 1930; to support herself, she gave private lessons in French.

In 1919, she joined the Italian Socialist Party (PSI). Merlin contributed to the socialist weekly Eco dei lavoratori, and the periodical La Difesa delle lavoratrici. During World War II, she took part in the resistance against the fascists. She participated in the founding of the Gruppi di difesa della donna [it], women's defence groups. In 1944, she helped found the Unione donne italiane [it], and served three terms as its president.

In 1946, she was elected to the Constituent Assembly of Italy, as a member of the PSI. She was instrumental in ensuring that the rights of women and children were protected in the new constitution. In 1948, she was elected to the Italian Senate of the Republic; she was re-elected in 1953. Merlin retired from the Socialist Party in 1961, and did not run for re-election after her term of office ended in 1963.

The bill to abolish the regulation of prostitution in Italy (Law No. 75/1958) was introduced in 1948, and, after a long and difficult process, was finally passed in early 1958 and came into effect in September of that year.

Merlin served on the Chioggia municipal council from 1951 to 1955.

She met Dante Gallani [it] in Milan; the couple married in 1933, but Gallani died three years later.

Merlin died in Padua at the age of 91.

Electoral history

Election House Constituency Party Votes Result
1946 Constituent Assembly Verona–Padua–Vicenza–Rovigo PSIUP 5,914 ☒N Not elected
Italy at-large – checkY Elected
1948 Senate of the Republic Veneto – Adria FDP 40,323 checkY Elected
1953 Senate of the Republic Veneto – Rovigo PSI 20,209 checkY Elected
1958 Chamber of Deputies Verona–Padua–Vicenza–Rovigo PSI 7,786 checkY Elected
  1. Elected in a closed list proportional representation system.

References

  1. ^ "Merlin, Angelina". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (in Italian). 2009.
  2. ^ "Lina Merlin". The Florentine. June 28, 2007.
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