Christian Democratic Federation
Encyclopedia
The Christian Democratic Federation (Federazione Democristiana, FDC) is a federation of Christian democratic
political parties in Italy
.
Originally, an accord was signed between four parties on 30 November 2006:
Two other parties later showed interest in the federation:
However, at the constituent meeting of the federation in Rome
on 17 March 2007, only three parties participated in creating the federation:
The Christian Democratic Party and the Party of Christian Democracy, which considered FDC too much on the left for them, despite the conservative credentials of Publio Fiori, who had been a leading member of National Alliance
, formed the alternative Federation of Christian Democrats and of the Centre
.
For the 2008 general election
Christian Democracy formed an alliance with Silvio Berlusconi
's The People of Freedom
and subsequently joined Berlusconi IV Cabinet
, while UDEUR and RDC did not participate to the election. Soon afterwards, in October, the two parties launched Democratic Initiative
, with the goal of uniting many centrist parties without representation in the Italian Parliament. In this they were soon joined, among others, by the Party of Christian Democracy, the Christian Democratic Party, the Italian Democratic Socialist Party
, the Italian Liberal Party (2004) and The Italian Socialists.
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
political parties in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Originally, an accord was signed between four parties on 30 November 2006:
- Christian Democracy (leader: Giuseppe Pizza);
- Party of Christian DemocracyParty of Christian DemocracyThe Party of Christian Democracy , whose members actually call it simply Christian Democracy , is a minor Christian-democratic Italian political party....
(leader: Angelo Sandri); - Christian Democratic RefoundationChristian Democratic RefoundationChristian Democratic Refoundation is a minor Christian-democratic political party in Italy.It was founded in October 2006 as a split of the Christian Democracy for Autonomies and is led by Publio Fiori, a former right-wing Christian Democrat and, later, leading member of National Alliance from...
(leader: Publio FioriPublio FioriPublio Fiori is an Italian politician.-Career:Fiori was born in Rome and graduated in jurisprudence. He became a member of Democrazia Cristiana , to which he belonged for much of his political career....
); - Christian Democratic PartyChristian Democratic Party (Italy)The Christian Democratic Party is a minor Christian-democratic Italian political party.It was founded in 2000 by Flaminio Piccoli, Clelio Darida, Carlo Senaldi and Alfredo Vito as the electoral arm of the Rebirth of Christian Democracy...
(leader: Gianni Prandini).
Two other parties later showed interest in the federation:
- UDEUR Populars (leader: Clemente MastellaClemente MastellaMario Clemente Mastella is an Italian politician. He is currently leader of Popular-UDEUR, a minor centrist Italian party. He was Minister of Labour in the Berlusconi government from 10 May 1994 to 17 January 1995, and Minister of Justice in the Prodi government from 17 May 2006 to 17 January 2008...
); - Middle-of-the-Road ItalyMiddle-of-the-Road ItalyMiddle-of-the-Road Italy was an Italian centrist political grouping founded in 2006 by Marco Follini, Senate member and former leader of the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats , and Riccardo Conti, member of the Chamber of Deputies...
(leader: Marco FolliniMarco FolliniMarco Follini is an Italian centre-wing politician.Follini was born in Rome. He was National Secretary of the Democrats' Centre Union party until October 15, 2005...
).
However, at the constituent meeting of the federation in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
on 17 March 2007, only three parties participated in creating the federation:
- UDEUR Populars (UDEUR);
- Christian Democracy (DC);
- Christian Democratic RefoundationChristian Democratic RefoundationChristian Democratic Refoundation is a minor Christian-democratic political party in Italy.It was founded in October 2006 as a split of the Christian Democracy for Autonomies and is led by Publio Fiori, a former right-wing Christian Democrat and, later, leading member of National Alliance from...
(RDC).
The Christian Democratic Party and the Party of Christian Democracy, which considered FDC too much on the left for them, despite the conservative credentials of Publio Fiori, who had been a leading member of National Alliance
National Alliance (Italy)
National Alliance was a conservative political party in Italy.Gianfranco Fini was the leader of the party since its foundation in 1995, however he stepped down in 2008 after being elected to the nominally non-partisan post of President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and was succeeded by...
, formed the alternative Federation of Christian Democrats and of the Centre
Federation of Christian Democrats and of the Centre
The Federation of Christian Democrats and of the Centre is a federation of christian democratic political parties in Italy....
.
For the 2008 general election
Italian general election, 2008
A snap general election was held in Italy on 13 April and 14 April 2008. The election came after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament on 6 February 2008 following the defeat of the government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi in a January 2008 Senate vote, and the unsuccessful tentative...
Christian Democracy formed an alliance with Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
's The People of Freedom
The People of Freedom
The People of Freedom is a centre-right political party in Italy. With the Democratic Party, it is one of the two major parties of the current Italian party system....
and subsequently joined Berlusconi IV Cabinet
Berlusconi IV Cabinet
Berlusconi IV Cabinet has been the cabinet of the government of Italy from 8 May 2008 to 16 November 2011.As of July 2011, it was composed of 24 ministers, 4 deputy ministers and 39 under-secretaries, for a total of 67 members.-Sources:*...
, while UDEUR and RDC did not participate to the election. Soon afterwards, in October, the two parties launched Democratic Initiative
Democratic Initiative
Democratic initiative process is the name of the process in which the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched a project aiming to improve standards of democracy, freedoms and respect for human rights in Turkey. The project is called the Unity and Fraternity Project...
, with the goal of uniting many centrist parties without representation in the Italian Parliament. In this they were soon joined, among others, by the Party of Christian Democracy, the Christian Democratic Party, the Italian Democratic Socialist Party
Italian Democratic Socialist Party
The Italian Democratic Socialist Party is a minor social-democratic political party in Italy. Mimmo Magistro is the party leader. The PSDI, before the 1990s decline in votes and members, had been an important force in Italian politics, being the longest serving partner in government for Christian...
, the Italian Liberal Party (2004) and The Italian Socialists.