▁He ▁critic ized ▁all ▁forms ▁of ▁colonial ism , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁cor ruption ▁in ▁the ▁Italian ▁state ▁and ▁within ▁the ▁social ist ▁party , ▁where ▁he ▁kept ▁an ▁independent ▁political ▁position . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁Chamber ▁of ▁Deput ies ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁the ▁ 8 1 - year - old ▁P ert ini ▁was ▁elected ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁Republic , ▁the ▁highest ▁office ▁in ▁the ▁nation . ▁Despite ▁his ▁advanced ▁age , ▁he ▁displayed ▁considerable ▁energy ▁and ▁vig or , ▁playing ▁a ▁major ▁role ▁in ▁helping ▁restore ▁the ▁public ' s ▁faith ▁in ▁the ▁government ▁and ▁institutions ▁of ▁Italy , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁maintain ing ▁an ▁active ▁schedule ▁of ▁travel ing ▁and ▁meeting ▁foreign ▁dign itar ies . ▁During ▁the ▁Brig ate ▁Ros se ▁terror ism ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁An ni ▁di ▁pi om bo , ▁P ert ini ▁open ly ▁den ounced ▁the ▁violence . ▁He ▁also ▁opposed ▁organized ▁crime ▁in ▁Italy , ▁South ▁African ▁apart heid , ▁Chile an ▁dict ator ▁August o ▁P ino ch et ▁and ▁other ▁dict atorial ▁reg imes , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Soviet ▁invasion ▁of ▁Afghan istan . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁he ▁stepped ▁down ▁from ▁the ▁presiden cy , ▁becoming ▁automatically ▁sen ator ▁for ▁life . ▁The ▁only ▁official ▁role ▁he ▁accepted ▁in ▁his ▁ret irement ▁was ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁" F ili ppo ▁Tur ati " ▁Foundation ▁for ▁Historical ▁Studies ▁of