| Achille Lauro | |
| Nickname: | "Il Comandante" |
| Order: | Mayor of Naples |
| Term Start: | 9 July 1952 |
| Term End: | 6 January 1958 |
| Predecessor: | Domenico Moscati |
| Successor: | Nicola Sansanelli |
| Term Start2: | 4 February 1961 |
| Term End2: | 29 November 1961 |
| Predecessor2: | Nicola Sansanelli |
| Successor2: | Vincenzo Maria Palmieri |
| Order9: | Member of the Chamber of Deputies |
| Term Start9: | 12 June 1958 |
| Term End9: | 4 June 1968 |
| Term Start10: | 25 May 1972 |
| Term End10: | 19 June 1979 |
| Order11: | Member of the Senate of the Republic |
| Term Start11: | 25 June 1953 |
| Term End11: | 12 June 1958 |
| Term Start12: | 4 June 1968 |
| Term End12: | 25 May 1972 |
| Birth Date: | 16 June 1887 |
| Birth Place: | Piano di Sorrento, Italy |
| Death Place: | Naples, Italy |
| Nationality: | Italian |
| Spouse: | Angelina Lauro |
| Residence: | Naples, Italy |
| Profession: | Politician Entrepreneur |
| Party: | PNF (1939–1943) PNM (1946–1954) PMP (1954–1959) PDIUM (1959–1972) MSI (1972–1977) DN (1977–1979) |
Achille Lauro (pronounced as /it/; 16 June 1887 – 15 November 1982) was an Italian businessman and politician. He is widely considered one of the main precursors of modern populism in Italian politics. He was nicknamed by his supporters Il Comandante ("The Commander").[1]
Born the fifth of six children of the shipowner Gioacchino and of Laura Cafiero, he was on his part the shipowner and founder of the "Flotta Lauro", based in Southern Italy.
During the decades of Italian Fascist dictatorship (1922–1943), he became a member of the National Fascist Party (PNF) and was named National Counselor of the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations, appointed to this position by Galeazzo Ciano, son-in-law of Benito Mussolini himself, who was active in shipping commerce. Also during this period he was named president of the Naples football club SSC Napoli, where he succeeded Giorgio Ascarelli.
After the end of World War II, following an initial participation in the Common Man's Front, he became active in the Italian monarchist movement led by Alfredo Covelli and financially supported the foundation of the Monarchist National Party (PNM), and was for a long time the mayor of Naples.
In 1972, he joined the neo-fascist party Italian Social Movement (MSI).[2] A square in the coastal town of Sorrento is named after him.