Segni, Antonio äntô´nyō sĕn´yē [key], 1891–1972, Italian political leader. A lawyer, he entered national politics in 1919 as a leader of the Popular party, the forerunner of the Christian Democratic party. For many years he was a professor at various universities. After World War II he was elected to the constituent assembly and then to parliament in 1948. He held numerous ministerial posts, serving twice as premier (1955–57, 1959–60). Elected president of Italy in 1962 he resigned in Dec., 1964, after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: Italian History: Biographies