Ciampi was elected with a broad majority, and was the second president ever to be elected at the first ballot (when there is a requirement of a two-thirds majority) in a joint session of the
Chamber of Deputies, the
Italian Senate and representatives of the Regions.
As a president, he usually refrained from intervening directly into the political debate. However, he has often addressed general issues, without mentioning their connection to the current political debate, in order to state his opinion without being too intrusive. His interventions have frequently stressed the need for all parties to respect the constitution and observe the proprieties of political debate. He is generally held in high regard by all political forces represented in the parliament. The possibility of persuading Ciampi to stand for a second term as president - the so-called
Ciampi-bis - was widely discussed, despite his advancing age but it was officially dismissed by Ciampi himself on
3 May 2006, just a few days before
his mandate expired.
President Ciampi is not considered to be close to the positions of the
Vatican and the
Catholic church, in a sort of alternance after the devout
Oscar Luigi Scalfaro. He has often praised
patriotism, not a common feeling in Italy because of its abuse by the
Fascist regime; President Ciampi, however, seems to want to stress
self-confidence rather than
nationalism.
On
May 5, 2005, he received the
Charlemagne Award of the city of
Aachen. On
June 15, 2005, he was awarded an
honorary doctorate by the
École Normale Supérieure of
Paris.
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