 Bassolino was born in Afragola, Campania.At 17 he entered the Italian Communist Youth Federation, and in 1970 became a member of the regional council for the Italian Communist Party (PCI), and, the following year, secretary of the party section in Avellino.He held the latter position until 1975, when he became regional secretary for the PCI; from 1972, he was member of the party's national committee.