Originally from Ischia, the Spataro family arrived in Vasto in the 17th century. In their family palace, which overlooked the Castello square, now Piazza Rossetti, Giuseppe was born in 1897. He would go on to become Vasto’s most prominent politician after World War II.
Giuseppe Spataro earned a law degree from La Sapienza University in Rome, standing out for his active involvement in Catholic circles, eventually becoming president of the Catholic University Federation (FUCI) from 1920 to 1922.
He later served as deputy secretary of the Popular Party, led by Luigi Sturzo. With antifascist convictions, he participated in the National Liberation Committee of Central Italy.
After World War II, he played a key role in founding the Christian Democracy party and reorganizing its newspaper, Il Popolo. He served as a deputy from 1945 to 1963, and then as a senator from 1963 to 1976, when he retired from politics due to his age.
During his time in Parliament, Giuseppe Spataro held various ministerial positions, particularly in the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and in the Ministry of Transport.
From 1946 to 1950, he also served as president of RAI.
Today, a bronze bust of Giuseppe Spataro stands at the small square named in his honor, in Piazza del Popolo, in front of the northern facade of Palazzo d’Avalos.