nearly 200,000 votes but he did not succeed in being elected, arriving third after Salvo Lima and Vincenzo Giumarra. In 1983, after the end of the 8th legislature, he retired from politics. Death and legacy On 29 October 1991, Scelba died of thrombosis at age of 90 at his home in Rome. Within the Christian Democracy, Scelba had always represented the popular tradition, deeply linked to the People's Party. He embodied the values of democratic Catholicism and anti-fascism, inherited by Don Luigi Sturzo's policies. Scelba always loyally supported De Gasperi in building a democratic and parliamentarian system, during the post-war. In his relationship with the Church, even as a practicing Catholic, Scelba defended the secularism of the state and its independence from the Catholic Church. However, Scelba was better known for his law and order policies. As minister he went through a repressive policy which, according to historians like Giuseppe Carlo Marino, professor at the University of Palermo, represented an anti-democratic action. Scelba's aversion to socialist and communist ideas of social justice led to violating the constitutional freedoms. According to Indro Montanelli, however, the police reorganization that Scelba carried out allowed a drastic reduction in political crimes and an improvement in the security of citizens. Electoral history References Sources Dickie, John (2004). Cosa Nostra. A history of the Sicilian Mafia, London: Coronet Ganser, Daniele (2005). NATO's secret Armies. Operation Gladio and Terrorism in Western Europe, London: Frank Cass Servadio, Gaia (1976), Mafioso. A history of the Mafia from its origins to the present day, London: Secker & Warburg External links In ricordo di Mario Scelba, discorso pronunciato dal Presidente della Camera dei Deputati on. Pier Ferdinando Casini a conclusione della celebrazione del decennale dalla morte e del centenario dalla nascita di Mario Scelba (Caltagirone, 29 ottobre 2001) L’anticomunista di ferro Gli eccidi operai e contadini del dopoguerra 1947–1954 di Gianni Viola |- |- |- |- |- 1901 births 1991 deaths Prime Ministers of Italy Presidents of the European Parliament Italian Ministers of the Interior Christian Democracy (Italy) politicians Politicians from the Province of Catania People from Caltagirone Christian Democracy (Italy) MEPs MEPs for Italy 1958–1979 Deaths from thrombosis Italian anti-communists