Welcome Mr. President!

Welcome Mr. President!

Year: 2013

Runtime: 98 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Riccardo Milani

Comedy

Giuseppe Garibaldi, known as Peppino, leads a simple life in a small mountain village, enjoying fishing, friendship, and his job at the local library. Despite his optimistic nature, his child questions his ambitions. A political blunder leads to the extraordinary event of Peppino being mistakenly elected President of the Italian Republic. Thrust into a role for which he feels wholly unprepared, his common sense and genuine gestures prove surprisingly effective, despite his struggles with proper etiquette. The strict and dedicated Deputy Secretary General of the Presidency, Janis Clementi, attempts to maintain order amidst his unpredictable actions.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Welcome Mr. President! (2013)

Trace every key event in Welcome Mr. President! (2013) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Garibaldi, the humble librarian

Giuseppe Garibaldi is a modest librarian in a small Piedmont town. He loves to read and transmits culture to children, even with the library's limited funds. He also enjoys river-fishing, a quiet joy that grounds his simple life.

present day Piedmont, Italy
2

Election day in Rome

Presidential elections are held in Rome, but the major party leaders cannot reach agreement on a winner. In a protest, they vote for a famous historical figure instead of a contemporary candidate. The plan backfires in the most improbable way.

Election day Rome
3

A namesake winner

Unbeknownst to them, there is an eligible citizen who shares the exact name 'Giuseppe Garibaldi'. By law, the vote for the historical figure obliges him to become president. The country discovers that the designated winner is a regular man with that same name.

shortly after the vote Rome
4

Certification and shock

The parliamentary process confirms that the namer’s match must take the presidency. Party leaders scramble to find a way out of an impossible situation as public trust wobbles. The nation braces for an unprecedented transfer of power.

moments after certification Rome
5

Inauguration of Peppino

Giuseppe, nicknamed Peppino, is inaugurated as president. He steps into power overwhelmed yet determined to serve people over politicians. He vows to confront the corrupt world he inherits.

inauguration day Rome
6

A president of the people

Rather than resign, he begins doing good works that resonate with ordinary citizens. His reforms earn broad popular support and a visible shift in public sentiment. The political elites watch, unsure how to respond to this unexpected leader.

weeks after inauguration Italy (various locations)
7

Impeachment moves

Leaders of the political parties move to impeach him, attempting to neutralize his goodwill reforms. Parliament becomes the arena for partisan maneuvering and public debate. Garibaldi remains steadfast in his public duties.

weeks after inauguration Parliament, Rome
8

A speech that bites back

Garibaldi delivers a poignant speech to the Parliament that ridicules both politicians and the Italian public itself. The speech blends moral clarity with sharp humor, turning public perception on its head. It marks a turning point in how power is discussed in the chamber.

during impeachment session Parliament, Rome
9

Return to the village

A few weeks after the speech, he returns to his small Piedmont village to continue his service among the people. The gap between national spectacle and local life becomes evident. He remains a symbol to his community even as he navigates national politics.

a few weeks after the speech Piedmont village
10

A surprising phone call

Answering a call in his village, he learns something unbelievable: the Vatican has made the same editorial misstep and elected him as the new Pope. The news lands with the same surreal certainty as his presidential fate. He braces for another transformative surprise.

shortly after the return Piedmont village
11

The papal election

News confirms that the Vatican has elected him as Pope, a development that shocks both Italy and the wider world. The idea of a librarian-turned-president becoming pontiff challenges common assumptions about destiny and power. The announcement fills newspapers and airwaves with astonishment.

immediately after the call Vatican City
12

A paradox of fate

The story closes on a paradox: an ordinary man has risen to two of the world's highest offices by chance, prompting reflections on integrity, leadership, and the murky nature of politics and faith. The nation is left to ponder what true service means. The last image lingers on a figure who embodies both populism and wonder.

finale Italy / Vatican

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:40

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Welcome Mr. President! (2013) Timeline Questions Answered – Chronology FAQ

Find frequently asked questions about the Welcome Mr. President! (2013) timeline, including chronological order, nonlinear jumps, cause-and-effect links, and scene sequence clarifications. This timeline FAQ helps explain when key events happen, how moments connect, and why the story unfolds in that specific order.

Q1

How did a librarian become President of Italy?

A.

Party leaders in Rome could not agree on a presidential candidate, so they voted for the historical figure Giuseppe Garibaldi as a protest. However, there was an actual citizen with the same name living in a small Piedmont village. By law, the vote for the historical figure obligated the real Giuseppe Garibaldi to become president, thrusting the humble librarian into power.

The story hints early on that Peppino's simple nature might actually be an advantage in complex political situations.

president electionlibrariangaribaldimistaken identityprotest vote
Q2

Why did Peppino decide to stay as president instead of resigning?

A.

Rather than resign, Peppino chose to serve the people directly and use his position to make genuine reforms that helped ordinary citizens. His common-sense approach and honest intentions resonated strongly with the public, earning him broad support despite his lack of political experience or proper etiquette.

resignationpresidencyreformscommon sensepublic support
Q3

What was the protest vote by political party leaders?

A.

When the major political parties could not agree on a presidential candidate, they deliberately voted for Giuseppe Garibaldi, the famous historical hero, thinking this was a meaningless protest choice. They did not realize that an ordinary citizen shared the exact same name, which by law made him the legitimate winner.

The political leaders' arrogance in assuming their protest would have no consequences sets up the central irony of the film.

political partiesprotest voteelectionromeparliament
Q4

What happened during the impeachment attempt against Peppino?

A.

Political party leaders attempted to impeach Peppino to remove him from office and stop his popular reforms. However, during the impeachment session, Peppino delivered a powerful speech that ridiculed both the politicians and the public, turning public perception in his favor and effectively ending the impeachment proceedings.

Earlier scenes showing Peppino's simple honesty foreshadow his ability to cut through political manipulation with straightforward truth.

impeachmentparliament speechpolitical partiescorruption
Q5

What was in Peppino's speech to Parliament?

A.

Peppino's speech combined moral clarity with sharp humor, directly ridiculing both the corrupt politicians and the Italian public for their complicity in the system. This unexpected honesty and self-awareness shifted public opinion dramatically, making the political elites appear petty and out of touch.

speechparliamentsatirepublic opinionhumor
Q6

Why was Peppino also elected Pope?

A.

Following the same pattern as the presidential election, the Vatican made an editorial misstep and elected Peppino as the new Pope, simply because he shared the name of a significant religious figure. The news confirmed that the same mistaken identity logic that made him president had now made him pontiff.

The story's repeating pattern of mistaken elections foreshadows this final twist, suggesting fate keeps intervening in Peppino's life.

vaticanpope electionpapalmistaken identityfate
Q7

How did Janis Clementi respond to Peppino's presidency?

A.

Janis Clementi, the strict Deputy Secretary General of the Presidency, attempted to maintain order and proper protocol amidst Peppino's unpredictable actions and simple approach to governance. She represented the institutional machinery trying to adapt to an unconventional leader.

janis clementiprotocolpresidencyadministrationorder
Q8

Did Peppino know the election was a mistake from the beginning?

A.

The timeline shows Peppino was overwhelmed but determined when inaugurated, suggesting he initially accepted the role believing it was genuine. The discovery of the mistake came after he was already in office and had begun his work serving the people.

mistakeelectionawarenesstruthdiscovery
Q9

What does the ending imply about leadership and destiny?

A.

The ending presents a paradox: an ordinary man rises to two of the world's highest offices by pure chance, prompting reflection on what true leadership and service actually mean. The story suggests that integrity and common sense may matter more than political experience or birthright.

endingdestinyleadershipintegritypopulismsymbolism
Q10

What happened to Peppino's life in the village after becoming president?

A.

Even after assuming national office, Peppino maintained connection to his Piedmont village, eventually returning to continue serving among the people. His village remained a grounding force, representing the contrast between authentic local life and the spectacle of national politics.

villagepiedmontreturncommunityordinary life
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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a 'fish out of water' arc, beginning with a humble protagonist living a simple life. A sudden, often absurd, twist of fate catapults them into a position of leadership for which they are completely unprepared. The central conflict arises from their struggle to apply their innate decency and logic to a world of rigid rules and cynical players, ultimately proving that authenticity can be a surprising strength.

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Narrative Summary

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Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific tonal blend: the cleverness of satire mixed with the warmth of a feel-good story. The pacing is consistent and engaging, the emotional weight is deliberately light, and the overall experience is designed to be intellectually amusing and emotionally uplifting simultaneously.

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Welcome Mr. President! Summary

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Welcome Mr. President! Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Welcome Mr. President!

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Welcome Mr. President!

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