Franco Bassanini (born 9 May 1940) is an Italian lawyer, politician, minister,[1] and undersecretary of state.

He served as the minister of public administration and regional affairs from 1996 to 2001 in the cabinets led by firstly Romano Prodi, then by Massimo D'Alema and lastly by Giuliano Amato.

[2] Bassannini was president of Astrid, a think-tank specialising in the study of institutional and administrative reform.

As a member of the administrative council of the ENA, he was called by Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007 to take part in the Commission pour la libération de la croissance française, presided over by Jacques Attali and designed to reform France's administration.

A member of Italy-USA Foundation, Bassanini served as the professor of constitutional law at the First University of Rome,[clarification needed] and was the chairman of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti.