Longo, Luigi (1900–1980)

Italian Communist politician and wartime resistance member. He became the Italian Communist party secretary general in 1964, holding the position until 1972.

He joined the Communist party while a student. He was imprisoned for political activities (1923–24), and later left Italy. Longo was in Moscow from 1932–34, and was then inspector-general of the International Brigade in Spain (1936–39). He settled in France. He was imprisoned there from 1939–41, and returned to Italy to work with Communist resistance groups. In 1945 he became deputy secretary general of the Italian Communist party, and entered parliament in 1946. He succeeded Togliatti as secretary general of the party.