Giovanni Sartori, the most distinguished Italian political scientist, first President of the Italian Political Science Association and Founding Editor of Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica/Italian Political Science Review, passed away on 4th April.

Sartori graduated in Political and Social Sciences in 1946 and began his academic career teaching sociology, philosophy, and government at the Cesare Alfieri Institute of the University of Florence where he was awarded the first full professor Chair of Political Science in 1964. He also taught at Stanford University (1976–79) and Columbia University (1979–94), where he was Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities and later became Emeritus. The introduction of political science as an academic discipline in Italy is owed to his efforts and achievements.

His seminal contributions to the study of democracy, parties, party systems, political theory, constitutional engineering, and comparative method have been widely recognized and have significantly enriched our understanding of politics.

Sartori received nine honorary degrees and, among several prizes, the Lifetime Achievement Awards of the European Consortium for Political Research (2005) and of the American Political Science Association (2006) as well as the International Political Science Association Karl Deutsch Award (2009). In 2005, he received the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award in the Social Sciences.

His extraordinary intellect, insightful analyses, and quick-witted commentaries will be sorely missed.

Simona Piattoni, President of the Italian Political Science Association.

Fabio Franchino, Amie Kreppel, Editors of Italian Political Science Review.